Liverpool take on RB Leipzig in their latest pre-season friendly, and the relationship between the two clubs has noticeably grown.
The Reds spent £36m to sign Ibrahima Konate from the German club last season, and the young defender has grown into his role at Anfield. Konate's biggest opportunities came in Europe, where he was handed a starting spot ahead of Joel Matip in the Champions League final, and he can expect to continue along his impressive path next term.
Konate isn't the only player to join the Reds after spending time at a Red Bull club, Recently-departed duo Sadio Mane and Takumi Minamino both came through at Red Bull Salzburg - with Mane stopping off at Southampton before arriving at Anfield - while Naby Keita had stints in both Austria and Germany before joining the Reds for £53m in 2018.
Liverpool owners FSG also visited RB Salzburg's academy before rebuilding the Reds' own training facilities, and it wouldn't be a huge shock to see Jurgen Klopp's side recruit from Thursday evening's opponents again. Here, Mirror Football looks at five players who could have a chance to impress the German coach up close.
Amadou Haidara
Haidara was linked with Manchester United during the January transfer window but ultimately ended up staying put. The 24-year-old has followed a well-trodden path, joining RB Leipzig from Red Bull Salzburg, and played his 100th game for the German club last season.
While comfortable in a midfield two, Haidara could well have the qualities needed to slot into Liverpool's three - especially with Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain out of contract next summer. On top of this, the Malian has spoken highly of former Reds captain Steven Gerrard in the past.
"[Gerrard] was a fighter, a captain who never gives up," Haidara told Red Bull in 2021. "When I was a kid, I used to watch all his Premier League games. He was so intense – and that's what I want to show on the pitch as well. He inspired me a lot."
Dominik Szoboszlai
Another to tread the Salzburg to Leipzig path, Szoboszlai was heavily linked with a Premier League move before settling on the Bundesliga during the 2020-21 season. He hasn't yet scored with the frequency of his spell in Austria, but the Hungarian remains a threat from midfield.
A Hungary international with six international goals, he netted the winner against England in Budapest to leave the Magyarok in with a shot of reaching the Nations League finals. He's a fan of Klopp, too, as evidenced in an interview with the Csisztu YouTube Channel (via Liverpool.com).
"I really like Klopp," Szoboszlai said. "The kind of human being he is. The way he can inspire his players is unbelievable. Even when they have nothing, his players can achieve anything. For me, he is the best manager."
Christopher Nkunku
Nkunku is far from an unknown quantity, having caused a storm in the Bundesliga last season. In addition to his 20 league goals, he hit 11 in Europe including a hat-trick in a Champions League group stage defeat against Manchester City.
Still, as we've seen with Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz, FSG are not afraid to spend big on stars from the European leagues if they see enough of an upside. Seeing as the former PSG man is still just 24, and only just establishing himself for France, there's an argument his best years are still to come.
As someone who played in midfield before an increasingly impressive goal tally showcased his attacking qualities, Nkunku has a bit in common with Roberto Firmino. Eventually, the time will come to replace the Brazilian and - while Diogo Jota has fulfilled some of that role - Nkunku could well be in the mould favoured by Liverpool's manager.
Ilaix Moriba
Another man to join Leipzig from a European giant, Moriba is yet to have the same impact as his teammate. The Guinean international arrived from Barcelona with many at Camp Nou upset to see him leave but ended his first season back in La Liga with a loan move to Valencia.
Moriba has returned to his parent club for pre-season, though, and caught the eye in the friendly victory over Southampton. After coming off the bench midway through the second half, he hit an unstoppable shot from 30 yards to seal a 3-1 victory.
The 19-year-old is not especially known for his goalscoring ability, though, and that could make him a solid asset for a Klopp team. If the Reds are after someone to offer composure in front of the back four and allow the full-backs to bomb forward, he could be the man to help fill that role.
Hugo Novoa
A fair amount of Liverpool's recent transfer business has been youth-focused, with Calvin Ramsay and Fabio Carvalho among the latest examples. Novoa, like both of them, has hit the "if you're good enough, you're old enough" marker.
A product of the Deportivo La Coruna academy, the joined Leipzig at the age of 16 and made an instant impact on the youth team. At 18, he was handed a first-team debut by former Roten Bullen boss Jesse Marsch and took less than five minutes to score his first senior goal.
He signed a new deal in January 2024, making his first Bundesliga start the same week. Leipzig think highly of the Spaniard, but if he continues along the same trajectory he's likely to be in high demand.
