The transfer window is officially open and work continues behind the scenes as Liverpool plot a way to the Champions League next season.
Alexis Mac Allister was the first through the door when he joined from Brighton & Hove Albion for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £35m earlier this month.
With plenty of work still to be done, however, new sporting director Jorg Schamdtke continues to work alongside the Reds' recruitment team that includes chief scout Barry Hunter, head of recruitment Dave Fallows and, of course, Jurgen Klopp.
But what would represent an ideal window this summer? The ECHO's dedicated Liverpool writers have their say...
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Paul Gorst - Back to Brighton for Caicedo talks
Despite the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister last week, Liverpool's midfield remains in need of additional surgery and having already raided the south coast for a £35m World Cup winner, would it be too audacious to pick up the phone to Brighton owner Tony Bloom once more?
No player did as much as Mac Allister last season to help Brighton qualify for the Europa League for the first time in their history, but Moises Caicedo's efforts were no less impactful at the Amex Stadium.
The Ecuador international is something of a one-man midfield and ran the show alongside his Argentinian team-mate when the Reds were rolled over in that 3-0 defeat back in January. Interest from Chelsea and Arsenal is problematic but Caicedo, at 21, is young enough and good enough to be a major star at Liverpool for years to come. The question is, do the Reds have the bare-faced cheek to return to Brighton for another of their key players?
Elsewhere in midfield, Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga would add a creative dynamic that has been absent from the Reds' engine whenever Thiago Alcantara is missing. With 11 goals and four assists last term, the Spain Under-21 international is emerging as one the brightest talents in La Liga and could add a new goalscoring edge to the midfield. A reported release clause of around £34m is a potentially vital component also.
If Nicolo Barella of Inter is available for anywhere near the £50m price-tag that Newcastle reportedly believe he is, however, then Liverpool should certainly nudge their way into that conversation. The Italy international would be an outstanding addition and represents proven quality over untapped potential.
And to complete the summer shopping, Levi Colwill could become a future star in defence for the Reds after an excellent campaign on loan at Brighton. The 20-year-old played 16 times for the Seagulls last term in the Premier League and has a huge future but with Chelsea being his parent club and Brighton desperate to make it a permanent deal, there are several hoops to jump through on this one. It would also risk further agitating Brighton, one suspects. It's nothing personal, Seagulls.
Ian Doyle - Rice on the boil for Reds
Anyone who has been long enough in and around the industry will know there's not much room for ideals in football. It's all about the harsh reality and, increasingly, hard cash. And those who chase the dream too often flirt with the sun a bit too readily. Icarus and all that.
Liverpool already have new midfielder in and will have at least one more. Probably it'll be two more. Maths determines that will be three new midfielders. One of the new faces will come from the list the Reds have long complied, all of them in their early 20s and having made a significant impact at their respective clubs but with plenty of potential for improvement.
But there's another player Liverpool should be looking at - Declan Rice. He's not worth the £100m West Ham United seemingly want, but a £50m-£60m set fee and some transfer jiggery-pokery and the Reds could definitely get something done. Even if it's a bit more, Fenway Sports Group should push the boat out as it's a long-term investment and he's only 24 still. If one of the other targets is brought in, that would mean three midfielders for the price of not much more than, say, a Jude Bellingham.
Liverpool need a centre-back as well and it'll have to be a younger one who knows they won't be playing much at first. Someone like Levi Colwill would be perfect.
Any other signings would involve players first leaving, which suggests it would ideal for them to depart and that's not a road we should be going down just yet.
Theo Squires - Tchouameni back on the agenda
Liverpool wasted no time in starting their midfield revamp this summer, bringing in World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister within two weeks of last season finishing.
But that’s only the start if the Reds are to restore themselves as Man City’s closest challengers in 2023/24. In an ideal world, they bring in a further two midfield recruits with Khephren Thuram, Manu Kone, Ryan Gravenberch, Gabri Veiga, and Romeo Lavia the players to choose between.
As a curveball, I’ll throw Aurelien Tchouameni’s name back into the mix. Real Madrid will have to raise funds somehow if they go for Harry Kane or Kylian Mbappe after landing Jude Bellingham.
A left-sided centre-back is next on the wanted list, as Liverpool start to ponder long-term replacements for Virgil van Dijk. Chelsea’s Levi Colwill has admirers at Anfield and would be ideal.
If Caoimhin Kelleher departs, the Reds will need a new back-up goalkeeper. Beyond that, in an ideal world, a new right-back to give Jurgen Klopp the option to play Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield wouldn’t go amiss.
And let’s be greedy, throw in a versatile left-footed forward too, able to deputise for Mohamed Salah on the right with AFCON looming.
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