Liverpool Battle with Manchester United for Adam Lallana - Report

Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham are all preparing a bid for Southampton midfielder Adam Lallana in the summer, according to Goal.com.

The midfielder, rated at £20m, is a virtual certainty for the England squad at the Brazil World Cup next summer. The 25-year-old has been in exceptional form all season and has caught the eye of clubs across the Premier League who are in the market for prodigious English talent.

Southampton are likely to cash in on their prized stars this summer as their accounts showed a loss for the last financial year, something likely to be attended to by the management. The midfielder has started 31 games this season, scoring nine goals with six assists, an exceptional performance playing for a team currently languishing in mid-table.

However, his stock may yet rise even higher if he puts in a good performance at the upcoming World Cup, where he is likely to be joined by his Saints teammates Ricky Lambert and Luke Shaw. The player got his first international cap in November and has put in a good performance ever since for the Three Lions.

His decision is likely to depend on the future of his current manager Mauricio Pochettino who is yet to extend his contract with the Saints beyond the end of next season. The South American has taken the club to a new level this season even featuring in the top three at the beginning of the season.

However, the manager may be interested in making a move to Tottenham should they sack Sherwood, something which is likely to have a major bearing on Lallana's future. Pochettino has recently compared the player to an English Iniesta and believes he has the talent to make it big in the world arena.

"We haven't seen a player like that in this country for a long time. Lately he has had a number of opportunities to get into the England national side so that is a very good thing for him. I am always telling him that he has the characteristics of a Spanish player and he has the skills of a Iniesta, Xavi or Fabregas," Pochettino said.