A football lawyer who has worked with Liverpool claims talks have resumed over a deal for Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk.

The Liverpool Echo says France-based lawyer Daniel Vanderkamp worked alongside Liverpool during the deal to sign Christian Benteke from Aston Villa in the summer of 2015, and the South African has now claimed the Reds have held dialogue with Southampton over the transfer of their classy Dutch international.

Vanderkamp tweeted: "Got told things are moving along now with LFC and Southampton.

"I don't know if he's handed in a request, just that the clubs are back negotiating.

"I don't think he will have to hand in a request either".

The account has since been taken down, but the tweets come after ex-Reds midfielder Danny Murphy claimed a deal between the two clubs was "close".

Liverpool made the Saints defender a top target earlier this summer before they were forced to cease and desist from their attempts to sign the centre-back after the south-coast club complained about a potential 'tapping up'.