Liverpool are set to continue their search for midfield reinforcements this summer, with Alexis Mac Allister having arrived as their first signing of the summer this week.
The Reds have secured a deal to sign the Argentine midfielder for a reported £35 million, with the World Cup winner undergoing a medical on Wednesday having been granted permission to so so by current club Brighton. However, he is expected to be just the first arrival of the summer as the Reds' transfer strategy takes shape.
Jorg Schmadtke arrived as sporting director last week, with the German hired to facilitate Klopp's transfer wishes as he seeks to return to the Champions League next season. Midfield is believed to be the main target of the summer business, with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all having left the club ahead of their contracts expiring on June 30.
The Reds have lost out on Jude Bellingham, with the Borussia Dortmund midfielder confirmed as having signed for Real Madrid. However, this means that the Reds can now turn their attention to other targets, with The Athletic revealing those who have crossed the Reds' radar to form a shortlist.
Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch has previously been touted as an alternative to Bellingham, with the 21-year-old Dutchman linked in the latest reports. He has been joined by Nice's 22-year-old French midfielder Kephren Thuram and Romeo Lavia, with the latter available having been relegated with Southampton.
In addition, Borussia Monchengladbach’s Manu Kone and Celta Vigo’s Gabri Veiga have both been named as alternatives, with the Reds keen to reinvigorate the squad with youthful talent. Meanwhile, reports that Franck Kessie could join the club have been denied by his agent as 'fake news', with a £30 million transfer from Barcelona having previously been suggested.
Liverpool are set to have a change in transfer pulling power this summer, with their failure to qualify for the Champions League coupled with limited funds with which to operate. This was outlined by Klopp earlier this year, with the Liverpool manager discussing the Reds' transfer plans, hinting at a different approach as they move forward into what they hope to be a new era.
"I never understood why we constantly talk about things we theoretically cannot have," the German said in April.l "We cannot have six players in the summer for £100m [each], for example. That’s clear.
"You have to realise what you can do and then you have to work with that. How much money do we have available? Then we work with that. That’s the job you have to do.
"What we need and what we want, we try absolutely everything to get it. But there are moments we have to accept this or that are not possible for us and step aside and do different stuff.”
