There they were, patiently waiting, lurking in the shadows, ready for the moment to pounce. And when it came, they wasted no time in making their feelings clear.
As soon as it emerged Liverpool were seriously chasing €100million-rated Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, so came the inevitable questioning of whether the Reds really are paupers compared to the financial might of Premier League rivals Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United.
The point made by the doubters seems, at first glance, somewhat compelling. Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool have already signed the most expensive defender in the world (Virgil van Dijk for £75m) and the second-most expensive goalkeeper in history (Alisson Becker in an overall package worth £65m). Should a deal for Nunez be completed anywhere near Benfica's asking price, it would put the forward into the top-four most costly Premier League captures of all time.
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That, though, would instead merely underline the outstanding wheeling and dealing, bartering and cajoling from the Liverpool recruitment team in helping fashion the funds - and broker creative agreements - that have allowed such transfers to come to fruition.
Consider, yes indeed, the net spend. In the last five years, the balance spent by both Manchester City and United is in excess of double that of Liverpool. Arsenal's comes in at £100m more, Chelsea around £40m despite having had a short transfer ban during that period. Everton have a greater net spend than their neighbours during the same timespan.
Liverpool don't have to sell to buy in this window, but the more money they bring in, the more they will then be able to spend on new players. It's basic economics. And, in the case of Nunez, it's also a personnel issue - his arrival, or that of anybody on the Reds' forward shortlist, will only happen should Sadio Mane move on this summer, with Bayern Munich his likely next destination.
Which brings us to Nunez. Julian Ward, officially taking over from Michael Edwards as sporting director having shadowed his predecessor for the the best part of a year, will no doubt want to stamp his authority in his new role with a strong window, meaning the likely breaking of the club's record transfer fee would be a resounding statement of intent.
But while there is understandable nervousness among the Liverpool fanbase that such a huge amount could be spent on a player who has arguably had only one prolifically impressive season, it should be allayed by the trust Fenway Sports Group and the recruitment team have gained with their track record when seriously splashing the cash.
Put simply, they know how to get bang for their buck.
The eight most expensive players in Liverpool's history have all been purchased under Klopp. A sign of general rising transfer costs, of course, but also how the Reds have to spend big to even maintain the extraordinary levels they have achieved in recent years, let alone improve on them.
The aforementioned Van Dijk and Alisson have long prove bargains despite their monumental cost. Mohamed Salah, the most expensive Liverpool signing for barely six months, is one of the best players in the world, Fabinho among the finest defensive midfielders.
Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz have both bolstered the forward options and contributed as regular starters, not least in helping Liverpool win the domestic cup double this season, while Ibrahima Konate has truly started to blossom.
The only question mark, relatively speaking, is over the £52.75m coughed up for Naby Keita, the third-highest spend in Reds history. A total of 116 appearances over four seasons isn't the most convincing return. But not without reason has Keita started successful finals in the League Cup, FA Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, while appearing in a Champions League final and winning the Premier League title. That's the kind of failure any club would happily accept.
Nunez will cost an eyewatering amount should Liverpool get the deal done. But everything points to the fact the forward, one way or another, will prove himself worth it.
