The hours after New Year's Eve are hardly the best time to pose a brain-teaser. But, for those no longer suffering through the fog of a hangover, what makes Andy Carroll and Christian Benteke stand out among the top 15 most expensive signings in Liverpool's history?
Not the most difficult question, true, but credit to those who deduced the pair are the only members of that exclusive club not to be part of Jurgen Klopp's current squad.
Cody Gakpo became the latest name added to the list when he last week agreed a move to Anfield from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in a deal that could ultimately cost Liverpool around £44million.
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With the transfer window having only officially opened on Sunday, and it being a Bank Holiday when the Reds travel to Brentford in the Premier League on Monday, it's likely the 23-year-old will have to wait until Saturday evening's FA Cup third round tie at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers for his debut.
And he will then form part of the most expensive forward line in Liverpool's history. Of course, much of that owes to the relentless inflation of transfer fees that saw the Reds smash their previous record by committing a potential in excess of £85m for Darwin Nunez in the summer.
Earlier last year, Luis Diaz was bought in a £50m deal from Porto, while in September 2020 it was agreed a possible £45m would be spent on taking Diogo Jota from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Long-term forwards Mohamed Salah (£43.9m from Roma in June 2017) and Roberto Firmino (£29m from Hoffenheim in July 2015) complete the senior striking sextet.
That's a total just shy of £300m that has been invested in bringing together a forward line Liverpool will hope can help them achieve the minimum target of Champions League qualification during the second part of the season.
Of course, they may not stay together too long, with Firmino still yet to agree a new contract despite Klopp making clear his desire for the Brazilian to stay beyond the expiry of his current deal at the end of the season. And the long-term injuries to Jota and Diaz that accelerated the pursuit of Gakpo mean it won't be until March at the earliest that the true competition for places is likely to emerge.
But Gakpo's imminent availability will seemingly pause - at least for now - the first-team progress of another attacking hopeful.
Ben Doak's outstanding performances for the Academy teams since his £600,000 summer arrival from Celtic saw the 17-year-old fasttracked to the senior ranks with an impressive cameo from the bench in the Carabao Cup third round win over Derby County in November. He has been on the bench for the subsequent four games - making his Premier League debut late on at Aston Villa on Boxing Day - and is likely to again be among the substitutes at Brentford on Monday.
While being right-footed will work in Doak's favour - Mohamed Salah doesn't have a dedicated understudy on the right flank - his better opportunities are likely to now come in the early rounds of the FA Cup.
Kaide Gordon was in a similar position last January, just 17 when scoring on only his second senior start in the FA Cup third round win over Shrewsbury Town and then making his Premier League debut and featuring in the Carabao Cup semi-final at Arsenal before dropping out of the first-team picture following the January arrival of Diaz, although his extended absence for much of 2022 owed far more to the pelvic problem from which he is now preparing to fully return.
However, the ECHO understands rather than stifle first-team chances, the arrival of another established international forward in Gakpo will serve to benefit the development of youngsters in the position. Certainly, there will be plenty for Doak and Gordon to admire and learn from.
It has rarely been more difficult for fledgling talent to break into the Liverpool forward line. But Klopp has always shown himself willing to offer opportunities - and the training ground is fast becoming the perfect schooling for the next generation of hopefuls.
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