Waiting game: Klopp is awaiting updates on the fitness of key stars

Report: Liverpool land fifth summer signing, £5m deal to be completed early this week

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Published on:

17 Jul 2016, 5:32 pm

By North-west correspondent Alex Stevens

Liverpool are set to complete their fifth signing of the summer as they finalise a deal for Estonia captain Ragnar Klavan, according to a report.

The Mirror claim the experienced defender will join for a fee of around £4million, potentially rising to £5million, from German club Augsburg.

It is said the deal will be completed early this week, with the defender signing an initial two-year contract with an option for a third.

Klavan has more than 100 caps for his country, and at 30, has the knowledge and maturity manager Jurgen Klopp is looking for to replace veteran duo Martin Skrtel and Kolo Toure, who have left in the last month

Klopp will be without both Mamadou Sakho and Joe Gomez for the start of the season after they both fell victim to Achilles problems, and the German admitted last week he would move swiftly to sign cover.

Joel Matip also limped out of Liverpool's 2-0 pre-season win over Wigan on Sunday with an ankle problem that Liverpool will hope is only a minor one.

Centre-back Klavan can play on the left side as cover for Sakho, and has impressed in the Bundesliga since joining Augsburg from AZ Alkmaar in 2012.

The Estonian played twice against Liverpool last season in the Europa League, and impressed at Anfield as the German side went down narrowly to a 1-0 defeat to a James Milner penalty.

Klavan would be Liverpool's fifth signing of the summer.

Klopp has already signed goalkeeper Loris Karius, centre-back Matip, forward Sadio Mane and midfielder Marko Grujic.

In other Liverpool transfer news,

the club could complete a £27million deal for Georginio Wijnaldum by Thursday

Liverpool FC

Ragnar Klavan