Jorg Schmadtke was probably still thumbing through his new-starter pack as a Liverpool employee when the transfer links began to rage on Tuesday.
Just a few hours after the club had announced that he would be taking over from Julian Ward as the Reds' new sporting director from June 1, the speculation started to spread from all over Europe and beyond.
In Germany, the influential Sport BILD reported that "Liverpool have entered the poker game" for Borussia Monchengladbach's Manu Kone by contacting the player's representatives to register both their admiration and interest in the 22-year-old.
