Liverpool have a broad shortlist to pick from when it comes to bolstering the midfield department ahead of the summer window.
Interestingly, the club has already made ‘discreet enquiries’ for Jude Bellingham’s England teammate Declan Rice, according to the Mirror’s highly reliable David Maddock.
“Klopp has – sensibly – three other holding midfielders on his shortlist,” the reporter wrote.
“There has been contact with Brighton over Moises Caicedo, and discreet enquiries over England midfielder Declan Rice, with both valued at well over £75m.
“Fulham’s Joao Palhinha is a cheaper option at around £40m.”
With the Reds balking at the prospect of paying upwards of £100m for the Borussia Dortmund prodigy, however, it’s difficult to see Jurgen Klopp’s outfit going full steam ahead with a player David Moyes has already insisted it will take a ‘British transfer record’ (Mirror) to prise the Englishman away.
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From our perspective, it then seems highly unlikely the West Ham man will end up anywhere near Merseyside, with cheaper alternatives sure to be favoured.
That may, perhaps, lead us in the direction of Alexis Mac Allister, whose father has already admitted he’ll probably be plying his trade in pastures new come the summer.
Given the scale of the revamp required in the middle of the park, however, it’s abundantly clear we need a multitude of new bodies.
How we strike the balance between quantity and quality, then, without the lure of Champions League football, should be fascinating to witness.