Having taken the decision to walk away from a blockbuster deal for Jude Bellingham in favour of spreading their transfer budget this summer, Liverpool have inevitably been linked to a raft of other players of late.
Even at the quietest of times with regards to player trading speculation, the Reds are always named with moves for a vast array a players from across the continent and beyond. So when a major midfield restructuring is needed, Jurgen Klopp is being increasingly frank about the need to spend, and interest in the £130m-rated Bellingham has cooled in favour of bringing in more numbers, it is no surprise to see Liverpool in the gossip columns more than ever.
Chelsea duo Conor Gallagher and Mason Mount are of interest alongside the Brighton pair of Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister. Wolves Matheus Nunes has his admirers, while speculation over Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch has intensified in recent days.
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After a difficult campaign that sees the Reds embroiled in the uphill task of finishing inside the top four, it's almost become open season in terms of transfer reporting.
For a club who have become famously strategic and surgical with their movements in recent times, as well as being particularly secretive as to who they are genuinely targeting, it is jarring to see Liverpool linked with so many different players at once, particularly when there are few that don't appear at least in some way credible.
It remains to be seen how many the club bring in during a critical summer that will have a major say on whether or not Klopp is able to get the Reds back to the level they have generally been at during the past five years, but there will be some significant reupholstering of the engine room, that much is certain.
With Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arthur Melo all set to leave this summer and ongoing uncertainty around James Milner's future in the final weeks of his own Anfield contract, Liverpool could shed a sizable percentage of their midfield numbers before the start of next season.
It is a key reason why a move for a handful of other options are being assessed rather than a pursuit of Bellingham that would take up the lion's share of the transfer kitty and have no certainty of a successful resolution either given both the strong interest from elsewhere and Borussia Dortmund's determination to keep him.
Such has been Stefan Bajcetic's rise to prominence since the turn of the year that the teenager was still listed in the 'defenders' section of the Under-21s' squad page on the club's official website until February. He is now listed as one of the 10 first-team midfielders at Liverpool and is no doubt looking ahead to his first full season as a senior professional from the summer onwards after having his campaign curtailed early through injury last month.
The almost seamless transition from the academy ranks to the first-team set-up for Bajcetic gives Klopp a real option to choose from going forward, easing the burden slightly on the need to bring in midfielders this summer, even if a failure to adequately recruit based on the emergence of the 18-year-old would be viewed dimly by an expectant fanbase this summer.
Regardless of who is signed, however, Bajcetic is definitely a serious option to consider going forward, which at least softens the blow of the expected departures of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arthur and Keita from a purely numbers perspective.
Should the aforementioned trio depart alongside versatile veteran Milner, it leaves Liverpool with six first-team midfielders heading into the summer. Two of those in Thiago Alcantara and captain Jordan Henderson are into the autumn of their respective careers.
Thiago turned 32 earlier this month, while skipper Henderson will be 33 before next season starts. At the opposite end of the spectrum are Harvey Elliott (20), Curtis Jones (22) and Bajcetic, meaning just Fabinho, at the age of 29, is in what is considered his peak years as a Premier League midfielder and doubts have persisted all season about the Brazilian's form.
It means getting it right this summer remains imperative to the long-term success of Liverpool under Klopp. But the recent tactical tweak that has seen Alexander-Arnold move into midfield while in possession is something that can alleviate the pressure somewhat heading into the summer months.
"It's a work in progress but we all like it," says Virgil van Dijk of Alexander-Arnold's move into midfield of late. "We all have to be able to change in times and sometimes Trent has to drop, whereas sometimes he has to go higher.
"Other players then have to drop, so we keep working on it and I think the manager has been saying it many times with the counter-pressing, everyone comes across, makes the pitch as small as possible and we have a big chance to win it back if we lose it. Everyone has to feel the freedom in possession to feel important, so that is what we have to do.
"It's not only Trent, it's a bit of a snowball effect. Everyone can find spaces as well and it's about finding the right position or player to move and I think Trent is getting into that role as well. So like I said, it's a work in progress to be confident and keep working for the remaining games. So now we need to keep it going and stay confident."
The phrase 'like a new signing' is only likely to induce groans from a supporter-base expecting considerable midfield investment before August, but Bajcetic and Alexander-Arnold will at least increase the options at Klopp's disposal as something of a new era approaches for the midfield department.
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