Southampton are set to challenge Liverpool for Anderlecht star Dennis Praet.

According to the Daily Mail, the Saints sent assistant manager Erwin Koeman to watch the 22-year-old attacking midfielder in action against Genk last week.

Praet has been heavily linked with Liverpool in recent times but it appears as though Southampton are now showing signifiant interest.

It is believed that the Saints are preparing for the potential summer exit of Arsenal target Sadio Mane and could soon make a move for Praet.

However, Anderlecht's director of sport Herman van Holsbeeck says the Belgian club is no hurry to offload the one-time Belgium international.

He told Voetbal Magazine: "Praet only has one year of his contract left to run with us, but we do not need to sell him now. We can also wait.

"There is a club interested in the lad, but the distance between our request and their proposal is several kilometres."