By any realistic expectation, this pre-season is likely to be as ideal as possible for Jurgen Klopp.
A summer jaunt to far flung areas of the planet is par for the course at a club the size of Liverpool, and while pre-season friendlies in Thailand and Singapore are not exactly desired from a coach or player's perspective, there is an acceptance that these journeys are a must for engaging with the worldwide support and making the most of the commercial opportunities that also present themselves.
But it's the work undertaken on the pitches of the Austria training base that provides the real basis for the forthcoming campaign, so Klopp will have few complaints that the bulk of his squad's turnover has already been completed.
The club moved early to secure Darwin Nunez when it became apparent that Sadio Mane was destined for a new challenge at Bayern Munich, while the deal to bring in Fabio Carvalho was essentially concluded in early February. The addition of Calvin Ramsay is a long-term project at right-back and Mohamed Salah's contract situation was resolved before pre-season training began at Kirkby at the start of the month.
So with a full complement of players settled and ready to work on the finer details during pre-season, Klopp's mindset is likely to be a serene one in the coming week or so as he wraps up a summer schedule with all his big hitters feeling the full benefit.
On the outside, however, the feeling that the Reds are still short persists to some. Midfield reinforcements have been demanded by certain sections of the fanbase while others are more trusting in the wisdom of Klopp and his staff with the options already available to them.
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Despite what is sometimes attempted to be portrayed, Liverpool are not wilfully myopic when it comes to transfer targets. The search for improvement never stops. For a club who utilise neuroscience developments and throw-in coaches in a bid to gain any slight advantage they can, it would be churlish to believe they do not keep their eyes peeled to players elsewhere.
The issue for this iteration of Liverpool is the pool of players capable of improving a team that has won every major honour in football since 2019 is now a shallow one. But that doesn't mean the lookout has stopped.
"If Liverpool don't lose anyone they don't need [to sign] anyone," John Barnes tells the ECHO. "They still have the same midfield players as last year. So, you know, obviously people are a year older but if you look at what we actually have, I don't think it's that imperative if they don't lose anyone but of course you have to be thinking about it long term, but I don't necessarily think that'll hurt us."
Aurelien Tchouameni was someone who was briefly assessed during his time at Monaco, but the France international midfielder was always destined for Real Madrid. Liverpool learned early on, through the player's agency, that los Blancos were in the driving seat prior to his eventual £85m move.
Porto's Vitinha was another who was looked at earlier this year. At 22, the Reds' recruitment team kept tabs on him largely because of his age and the potential for improvement - which is a general strategy they take for many others across the continent - but there was no Anfield obstacle for Paris Saint-Germain to navigate past when they started discussions ahead of their own £35m deal.
Barnes adds: "I would have loved to have seen us go for Yves Bissouma from Brighton, I have to say, I think he is a really, really good player and Tottenham have themselves a good signing but with the players we already have I don't think they need too much."
The one player who Klopp has been asked about directly this summer is Jude Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund. The England international has plenty of admirers within the Anfield bubble, including the manager, although a price tag in excess of £100m, according to German media, is designed to be prohibitive for potential suitors this summer.
"Jude Bellingham would suit any style because he is a brilliant player and there will be a race for him next season and maybe even before then, even though Dortmund they have brought in some good players and they want to have a go at Bayern Munich to bring that league title back," Didi Hamann tells the ECHO. "They haven't had it for 10 years.
"But no, he is brilliant all round. And he leads at such a young age. There are times when there is a discussion if there is the right mentality at Dortmund, if they have enough grit when the going gets tough but the first one to stand up, or the only one at times to stand up at times, was Jude Bellingham.
"For him to be doing that at 18 years of age is phenomenal. The way he plays, the way he leads, what a player. There will be a race for him and there's probably one now to be honest. Dortmund are reluctant to sell but if there's a chance for Liverpool then it would be huge."
Klopp insists that there will be no further discussions over potential incomings should the makeup of his squad remain as it is, but while the window is open those on the inside will continue to quietly monitor.
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