LIVERPOOL have bid £4.5m for Serbian international defender Nemanja Vidic.
Rafa Benitez hopes to secure the signing of a centre-half by next week, but there remain some obstacles to overcome for Vidic to move from Spar-tak Moscow to Merseyside.
Italian club Fiorentina are rivals for the defender's services, and Benitez won't maintain his interest if he senses indecision from the player.
Vidic is one of several defenders who've been in Liverpool's sights all season and today's move doesn't necessarily signal the end of the Reds' search.
Benitez hopes his offer will give him permission to speak to the 24-year-old before deciding whether to press ahead with his purchase.
In the meantime, Benitez is also maintaining an interest in other long-term targets.
It's understood Vidic has a clause in his contract which will allow him to talk to the Reds for an offer of £4.5m.
But the Liverpool boss needs to be convinced Vidic is 100% committed to joining the European champions, otherwise he'll look elsewhere.
Vidic excelled during the recent World Cup qualifying campaign when Serbia and Montenegro finished above Spain in their group.
He's been linked with Arsenal and Aston Villa in the past, but Fiorentina are the only other club to have made an offer to his Russian club.
Liverpool have made no secret of their desire to recruit a new centre-back, with Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher currently the only senior central defenders at the club.
Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso is losing his battle to face Manchester City tomorrow. Alonso is struggling with a knee injury.
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