Alderweireld set to spark Merseyside transfer tussle as Liverpool and Everton line up £7m Ajax defender

Liverpool and Everton are ready to go head to head in the race to sign Ajax defender Toby Alderweireld this summer. 

Though David Moyes has yet to sign a new contract with Everton, he has been planning as normal for next season and has scouted the Belgium international, who would cost £7million. 

Moyes would be keen to link Alderweireld up with his compatriots Marouane Fellaini and Kevin Mirallas. 

Target: Everton and Liverpool want Ajax and Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld

But Liverpool are also keen on Alderweirled and their need to sign a defender is obvious, given that Jamie Carragher is retiring at the end of the campaign and there are doubts over the futures of both Sebastian Coates and Martin Skrtel. 

Liverpool have been regular visitors to Amsterdam in recent months and have been tracking midfielder Christian Eriksen but Alderweireld is also a player who would fit the criteria of those Fenway Sports Group, the club's American owners, like to sign. 

Recruitment drive: Brendan Rodgers is keen to strengthen his Liverpool squad in the summer

Forward thinking: David Moyes has been planning for next season even though he has still to sign a new deal

Brendan Rodgers has said he wants to add 'three or four' new faces during the close season and has reiterated that he will strengthen again to get the club into a position to challenge the top four.  

'We are hopeful that come the summer we can make the additions that will take us on to the next level,' said Rodgers, during an interview with Yahoo! 

'The business we did in January (signing Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge) was excellent and that's great credit to the club.'

Alderweireld, a 24-year-old, has been capped 23 times by his country and has played for Ajax since 2008 after joining them from Beerschot. 

Familair face: Everton's Marouane Fellaini is an international team-mate of Alderweireld