LIVERPOOL FC’S American owners are poised to take their spending past the £100million barrier after LFC agreed a fee for Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing.

Downing is due at Melwood for a medical today after the Midlanders last night accepted a £20m package for the England international.

Liverpool had previously been rebuffed with offers of £12m and £15m for the player, who has been pinpointed by manager Kenny Dalglish and director of football Damien Comolli to address the problematic left flank position.

While Villa manager Alex McLeish last week stated Downing was not for sale, the Villa Park outfit were compelled to open negotiations with their Anfield counterparts after the 26-year-old submitted a written transfer request in an attempt to push through a move. Downing is now poised to put pen to paper on a four-year deal and will become Liverpool’s third major signing of the summer after Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson.

With Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll having already been purchased during the January transfer window, Liverpool principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner have now sanctioned in excess of £100m worth of transfer deals concerning just five players.

Meanwhile Dalglish praised Charlie Adam after the new boy helped Liverpool to a winning start to their pre-season preparations.

Adam, who completed a £7.5m move from Blackpool last week, played the second half as Dalglish’s men beat local side Guangdong Sunray Cave 4-3 to complete the China leg of their Far East tour.

Christian Poulsen, David Ngog and Andy Carroll were all on target, while 18-year-old Conor Coady marked his debut first-team involvement by netting Liverpool’s third.

And Dalglish said: “It was good to see Conor Coady score his first goal and for Charlie (Adam) to make his debut. To score four goals is obviously a bonus but it’s only our first game and there’s lots of work still to do.”