Auxerre defender Philippe Mexes will not join Liverpool if the club fail to qualify for the Champions League.
France international Mexes will leave in the summer for one of Europe's giants and Auxerre boss Guy Roux said on Monday Liverpool had won the race.
But Mexes' agent Olivier Jouanneaux told BBC Sport: "Philippe will not join Liverpool if they do not qualify for the Champions League next year.
"It is a key motivation for him to play in the European Cup."
Auxerre are resigned to losing the 22-year-old, and have signed Banik Ostrava's Czech international defender Rene Bolf to replace him.
And boss Roux told the Anfield website: "Mexes knows Liverpool is his destination when the season finishes.
"It is true he has been followed by the great European teams, including Juventus, but nobody has made a concrete offer for Mexes except the Reds."
Liverpool need to strengthen in that department with Igor Biscan, Sami Hyypia and Stephane Henchoz all performing inconsistently this season.
Gerard Houllier had been confident of signing Mexes but the statement by Jouanneaux is sure to rock Anfield - especially coming after the Reds' 1-0 home defeat to Charlton on Saturday.
That result severely damaged Liverpool's Champions League ambitions, with Newcastle now level on points with the Reds but with a game in hand.
Jouanneaux, who met Auxerre coach Guy Roux on Friday to discuss Mexes' future, added that Houllier had contacted him last summer to talk about the defender's plans.
The agent also confirmed that he has held discussions with unnamed Italian clubs over Mexes' transfer.
Jouanneaux said: "Auxerre have told us that they will sell Philippe in the summer, but they have as yet to fix a transfer fee.
"When we met on Friday, Roux did not mention Liverpool.
"But Roux would prefer Mexes to move to an English club, because Premiership teams do not have the financial problems of Italian sides.
"But above all what Roux wants to do is to create competition between clubs to increase the transfer fee."
As well as playing for a side in the Champions League, Mexes' other motivation is to switch to a club where the coach will help him improve as a player.
"Philippe wants to play under a coach with a strong personality who will help him become a regular in the French national team."
Mexes has won six caps for France.
Houllier had also been expected to sign Auxerre's other French international central defender Jean-Alain Boumsong, but the 24-year-old French player eventually agreed to join Rangers.
However Liverpool are thought to have secured a deal worth £14m to bring Auxerre's French international striker Djibril Cisse to Anfield for the start of next season.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
this might interest you liverpool fans.
--------------------------
Philippe wants to play under a coach with a strong personality who will help him become a regular in the French national team."
bah.
houllier - strong personality.yeah right.
but it seems Liverpool are the closest to get Mexes.
Buy on AliExpress.com
