After Liverpool's initial interest in wantaway Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount, it will naturally spark debate whether they are making a mistake in allowing him to join their fiercest rivals.
On Thursday David Ornstein broke the news that Manchester United had fashioned a deal worth £60million for the England international, which was somewhat out of the blue despite all of the noise surrounding the player in recent months.
June saw multiple bids rejected by the club where Mount rose through academy's ranks, both from the Red Devils, and it appeared they were priced out. Then, all of a sudden the fee was agreed upon, leaving only the medical and contract to iron out.
Liverpool had not made an official bid amidst their reported interest, and it will now remain that way with Mount Old Trafford-bound. Despite this, the Reds will not see it from their perspective that they are losing out. Instead, the perfect alternative has presented itself in Dominik Szoboszlai.
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The Reds have agreed to pay the £60m release clause in the Hungarian's RB Leipzig contract - and it's understandable why. Making more appearances than Mount across the last two campaigns - 62 to 56 in Szoboszlai's favour - is the first tell-tale reason their ideal man is currently under contract at Leipzig and not Chelsea.
What's more, in that same time frame, Szoboszlai boasts a higher non-penalty expected goals and assists ratio of 11.15 to Mount's 9.5. It may not seem like much, but there have been instances in recent seasons where Liverpool have been two goals away from the Premier League title.
But ultimately more attractive to Reds boss Jurgen Klopp when looking for a midfielder is versatility. A number of his Anfield recruits, or those he has shaped upon his inheritance, have been able to feature in a variety of positions - and the same goes for Szoboszlai, who is also a set-piece specialist.
The Leipzig man is a right-footer, so primarily features on that side of the pitch. There he has displayed his credentials operating as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder, and even as a right-sided attacker.
The latter is a particularly exciting aspect, as although not many wish to see Mohamed Salah out of the team, sometimes it is necessary to keep the 31-year-old fresh. The transfer would also offer Klopp something he hasn't had since - a youthful, pacey back-up to the talisman of the team.
