Jurgen Klopp might be about to repeat a transfer trick in the market this summer that landed him a player that he confessed was the "best he's ever worked with".
While Liverpool are not renowned for breaking the bank, instead scouring Europe for top talents for reasonable prices, they look set to break that policy and their club-record transfer fee at the same time. The pursuit of Darwin Nunez has been tipped to go and cost as much as £85million (€100m).
That would shatter the current record set at Anfield by Virgil van Dijk when he was brought to the club for £75m back in January 2018. While that has been heralded as a brilliant signing, there have been doubts over Nunez.
That's largely because of the shift in tactics with the Benfica star more suited to playing as a pure No. 9 and not being involved too much in build-up play. Compared to Roberto Firmino, the two could not have more varying styles as strikers.
It has opened up questions over whether Klopp will be able to get the best out of the 22-year-old - but that has already been answered by his coaching of Robert Lewandowski at Borussia Dortmund. While the Poland international is undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the world, there are some similarities between him and Nunez.
Principally, the Uruguayan's movement is incredible dangerous and has brilliant mobility despite his 6ft2 frame while remaining physical enough to battle with defenders. His passing stats are not great but playmaking is not his job - putting the ball in the net is.
In that respect, there are not many better available marksmen in Europe - especially after his incredible 34-goal plunder last season. It is no surprise to see why Benfica are asking for top dollar but also why Liverpool appear ready to pay it.
Such a decision would not come lightly at Anfield HQ and would have to have Klopp's blessing at the very least. While some might question the change in style, the German would love to manage another player with Lewandowski's ilk - especially after already waxing lyrical that the striker last year.
Despite working with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Van Dijk, it is the Bayern Munich frontman that was the first name on his lips when asked who was the best player he has worked with. "Robert Lewandowski," Klopp said last year in an interview with SportBild. "It would actually be unfair to say that about any other player than Lewy.
"What he made out of his potential, how he pushed himself to become the player he is today, that's extraordinary."
Lewandowski became a world-class striker under Klopp's tutelage after joining Borussia Dortmund for €4m (£3.4m) from Lech Poznan, going on to score 103 times in 187 for the Bundesliga club. That included a four-goal haul against Real Madrid in the Champions League in a remarkable outing that took the BVB to the final in 2013.
With Liverpool pushing ahead with their plans to sign Nunez, the former Almeira star must be looking forward to working under Klopp and trying to emulate such a career. If he can go on to follow in Lewandowski's footsteps in terms of goalscoring, he is destined to become a potential Anfield legend.
