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Liverpool and United in Dede link

Dede has six caps for Brazil and has been tipped to play a key role for the team at the 2014 World Cup © AP

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Liverpool, Manchester United and Juventus are reported to have enquired about Brazil defender Dede, with Vasco da Gama confirming he is likely to move on in the summer.

The Daily Mirror reports that those clubs, along with Benfica, have made enquiries for Dede, while AC Milan have been linked in Italy.

The 24-year-old centre-back extended his contract with Vasco until 2015 in July but, after earning a recall to the Brazil squad having suffered with injuries last season, he is eager to secure a lucrative transfer.

Vasco's director of football, Christian Koehler, told Radio Globo: "I think it will be very difficult for us to hold onto Dede. Everyone would like him to stay, but the club needs the money [and] the player wants to pursue his career and move on somewhere with better pay."

Vasco hold just a 45% stake in the player's ownership, with the DIS Group holding the same percentage and the Ability investment group having the remaining 10%.

"The partners also want to make the sale," Koehler said. "It's important for us to be clear and not to mislead the fans. At some point, he will leave."

The club have debts to pay off and the sale of Dede would ease that burden significantly, with Vasco paying out almost $500,000 a month, Koehler added.

"We are prioritising the payment of wages, taxes and other agreements. So it possible that, in the middle of the year, when the sale goes through, we can [use the money to] reorganise the club. We might use some money to sign new players, if it's possible."

The Mirror believes Vasco would be looking for around £15 million for Dede, with Liverpool said to have been tracking the defender for around a year.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.