The next few months look like being huge when it comes to the future of Liverpool Football Club, with manager Jurgen Klopp preparing to make further changes to his squad.
A number of first-teamers are out of contract at the end of the current campaign, though not all of them are certain to move on. There have been suggestions that Roberto Firmino and James Milner might extend their stays, though there is less optimism around Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita.
The Reds have already dipped into the transfer market in January to sign Cody Gakpo, but midfield will be the order of the day in the summer. Jude Bellingham is the name on everyone's lips, but Klopp will no doubt be looking at other options, especially if Liverpool fail to climb back into the Champions League places.
Much will hinge on Liverpool's performance between now and the end of the season. A humbling defeat at Brighton left Klopp's side down in ninth and at risk of missing out on Champions League qualification, though all is not lost in that sense.
If Liverpool can return to the Champions League next term, either through their league position or by winning this season's edition, it could boost their chances of strengthening in the summer. However, in addition to the 10-point gap they need to make up to the top four, they have to navigate a rematch with reigning champions Real Madrid in order to stay in Europe.
Here, Mirror Football looks at three possible starting XIs for Liverpool next season. The dream line-up, a more realistic XI, and the nightmare situation.
Dream XI
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The ideal scenario for Liverpool would, naturally, involve Jude Bellingham arriving at Anfield. The Borussia Dortmund man remains in high demand, and would undoubtedly be a coup for the Reds, but strong efforts have been made.
With Oxlade-Chamberlain and Keita on their way out, it may well be the case that Liverpool need two new midfielders. Matheus Nunes is one of the names repeatedly mentioned, despite him only joining Wolves in 2022, and his arrival would allow the Reds to refresh in the middle of the park while keeping Thiago as their other first-choice midfielder.
Less immediate change is needed in defence or attack, with the likes of Cody Gakpo and Calvin Ramsay allowing preparation in the longer-term. In the immediate future, though, a dream scenario wouldn't look too different to what we see right now, especially with Luis Diaz preparing to return from injury.
Realistic XI
It would take a significant effort for Liverpool to qualify for the Champions League, and therefore any realistic XI has to work on the assumption that they fall short. With no elite European football, Bellingham is likely to look elsewhere, though a move for Nunes remains a possibility.
It could be the case that the Reds still add two central midfielders, even if the Englishman isn't one of them. However, it may be fairer to assume they rely on Fabinho rediscovering something closer to his best form after a difficult few months.
While we've included Ibrahima Konate alongside Virgil van Dijk in these line-ups, the likes of Joel Matip and Joe Gomez will remain options. Similarly, Diogo Jota may end up being the first choice in attack if he can put his injury woes behind him.
Nightmare XI
And so, to the nightmare scenario. It doesn't bear thinking about, but if Liverpool remain out of Europe altogether - something which will happen if they end the campaign without a trophy and don't improve on their league position - things won't look great.
There's also the numerous injury concerns around the squad. Virgil van Dijk's hamstring issue is a worry, and if the Dutchman is unable to rediscover his form and fitness then we could be looking at a Matip-Konate partnership.
If Fabinho remains off the boil then the talented but raw Stefan Bajcetic may be forced into first-team action sooner rather than later, with no new additions willing to join a team without the carrot of European football, while Jordan Henderson could be required to play more minutes despite questions over his own form. And, if we're really looking at worst-case scenarios, Mohamed Salah's lofty ambitions could see him tempted to move on, though at least in this case there is potential cover within Klopp's squad already.
