Liverpool and Arsenal are set for a summer transfer tussle over £8million-rated Swansea defender Ashley Williams.

Anfield manager Brendan Rodgers is keen to take his former Swans captain to Merseyside to bolster his defensive options.

But Rodgers faces competition from Arsenal, whose boss Arsene Wenger has had the 28-year-old watched several times this season.

Although Rodgers bought midfielder Joe Allen from Swansea when he took over at Liverpool, he agreed not to poach any more of his former players for a year.

But the Anfield boss is likely to make a move for centre-back Williams at the end of this season, once that transfer embargo with his old club has expired.

Wenger is a big admirer of Williams and, like Rodgers, is looking for more stability in defence, with the Wales captain being viewed as a viable option for the Gunners.

Williams signed a new three-year contract last October, but Swansea are understood to be bracing themselves for a flurry of bids in the summer.