Arne Slot has denied Liverpool made an 11th-hour move to hijack Brighton's deal for Feyenoord midfielder Mats Wieffer.

The Seagulls confirmed the arrival of Wieffer on Friday for a fee of around PS25m but it was reported in Dutch media on Thursday that Slot had launched a late effort to try and bring his former player to Anfield instead.

A report in De Telegraaf suggested Slot had attempted to engineer Wieffer's switch to Merseyside as he closed in on a transfer to the south coast. The report wrote: "At the last moment, Liverpool came into the corner via Wieffer's own camp, and not via Feyenoord. Arne Slot has been a big fan of the player for the past two years. However, Wieffer has already verbally agreed on the conditions to play for the Seagulls in the coming years."

Slot, however, has dismissed those suggestions, claiming Liverpool did not try and lure his former midfielder to Anfield as the wait for the Reds to add to their squad this transfer window goes on.

"I think it's especially nice for him," Slot told 1908 in the Netherlands. "When you see where he comes from. That two years after he came from Excelsior, he can make the step to the Premier League. That's great for him.

"It's fantastic for him, but also for Feyenoord, because it's the biggest transfer in the club's history. No, I haven't spoken to Mats. I really like to meet him, but I hope he doesn't want to prove too much to his old trainer."

Liverpool's two deals so far this summer have seen Anderson Arroyo leave the club permanently to join Burgos while Calvin Ramsay has moved to Wigan Athletic on loan.