Real Madrid will turn down any loan offers from Liverpool for Mateo Kovacic, but are prepared to sell him to the Premier League side - or any club for that matter - for a fee of £24m, according to "?talkSPORT (h/t Gazzetta dello Sport).
The 22-year-old Croatia international joined Los Blancos from Inter Milan last summer, as the Italian club was forced to sell due to Financial Fair Play regulations. But his first season wasn't as bright as expected and he has struggled to nail down a place in the squad.
Liverpool are keen on bringing the player to Anfield, yet Madrid aren't willing to let him leave on loan, favouring a permanent deal instead.
The Reds are said to be facing stiff competition from AS Roma, however. Kovacic is willing to head back to Italy, with the promise of more playing time, but the Serie A club are looking for a loan deal as well.
Madrid paid £24m to Inter for the midfielder, and aren't prepared to let him go unless a club is willing to pay them their initial outlay.
Kovacic is an excellent dribbler of the ball, who is also quite versatile in the middle of the park. He started his career as an attacking midfielder, but dropped back into a deep-lying role when he joined Inter from Dinamo Zagreb.
His ability to advance the ball forward from defensive positions makes him a valuable asset, but given Madrid's wealth in midfield, it's no surprise that he's found it hard to fit in.