Liverpool made their first signing of the transfer window with the capture of Victor Munoz from Osasuna last week and fully intend to back it up with another forward.
The front line is the priority after the departure of Mohamed Salah, who scored 257 goals for the club and leaves behind a huge hole.
After a disappointing Premier League title defence led to the sacking of Arne Slot, plans have not completely changed after the hiring of Andoni Iraola – but it is fair to say they have pivoted and the Spaniard’s arrival has had a knock-on effect on deals, both incomings and outgoings.
Here Daily Mail Sport answers the big transfer questions Liverpool fans are asking…
What’s the latest on Yan Diomande?
Liverpool have not been deterred by RB Leipzig rebuffing their first attempts at signing winger Diomande, who has been flourishing for Ivory Coast at the World Cup.
The Premier League club signalled an intent to pay £86million for the 19-year-old but Leipzig want closer to £112m.
Publicly, Leipzig are saying Diomande is not for sale at any price – and want him to sign a new deal with a release clause – but there is an understanding internally that they most likely will be forced to let him go this summer.
RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande has been flourishing for Ivory Coast at the World Cup and, with a bit of patience, Liverpool could very well get their man
Publicly, Leipzig are saying Diomande is not for sale at any price, but there is an understanding internally that they most likely will be forced to let him go this summer
Can the clubs meet in the middle?
That is certainly what the player and his camp wants. It is my understanding that Diomande is keen on a move to Liverpool and that there is frustration about the length of time it seems to be taking for a deal to be done.
But Leipzig have every right to dig their heels in. How long can they hold on to their prized asset, though? The Reds have a strong relationship with the German side, having bought Ibrahima Konate and Dominik Szoboszlai from them in recent years.
With Diomande up for the move, Liverpool making approaches and Leipzig resigned to selling, it all points in the direction of a deal being done. Patience might be needed.
Who are the back-up options?
The Reds like Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain and France. They did so last season but opted against pursuing a deal due to not wanting to block the pathway of Rio Ngumoha.
Cologne’s Said El Mala has been linked as another candidate, a name mentioned alongside Diomande in our Liverpool transfer briefing way back in January. Matias Fernandez-Pardo of Lille and Belgium is another name that has done the rounds and Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh is liked.
None of those three fill one with the same excitement Diomande does.
Bradley Barcola of PSG and France is on Liverpool’s radar in case the Diomande deal breaks down
Belgium’s Matias Fernandez-Pardo of Lille is another player Liverpool have been linked with
Are Liverpool going to sign a midfielder?
The forward line is the priority but midfield should be just as important after sub-par seasons for both Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch.
To invite readers behind the curtain, Daily Mail Sport is sent long lists of supposed targets every week but we do not report them until they are independently verified by other sources. In the case of midfielders, there are an awful lot of whispers – but none appear to be more than that at this stage.
Adam Wharton has long been mooted as a potential target and it will be interesting to see whether Liverpool pursue a move for the Crystal Palace man.
Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari has also been linked this week after an impressive game for Sweden at the World Cup. Some of these names might be more driven by the players’ camps, for obvious reasons.
Bournemouth midfielders Tyler Adams and Alex Scott have also been pushed out as potential signings, naturally so given Iraola’s links to the south coast club.
Then there are players who Bournemouth and Iraola liked in the past, such as Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri. Caution is to be advised on all of the above names, which is nothing more than a sketch to demonstrate how many rumours are pumped out.
One player in whom Liverpool’s interest is more firm is Ayyoub Bouaddi, of Lille and Morocco. Liverpool like him but others are ahead in the race as the Reds consider their priorities. Fellow clubs in the hunt include Real Madrid, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City… the list goes on.
Liverpool have been linked with lots of midfielders and the noise is not always coming from the club’s end. But Ayyoub Bouaddi, of Lille and Morocco, is definitely a player the Reds like
Do Liverpool have enough defenders?
No, in a word. Ibrahima Konate leaving has left Liverpool exposed. As it stands they have four senior central defenders, which is enough – but most of those players have caveats that must be considered.
Virgil van Dijk turns 35 in a few weeks. He has been the best defender in the Premier League across the last decade but he cannot stick around for ever and his contract expires at the end of this season.
Joe Gomez is also only contracted until next summer. He is injury prone and often needed for cover at full back.
Jeremy Jacquet, who is signing from Rennes in a deal agreed in January, is a talented defender but has played zero Premier League minutes and would need a bedding-in period in England.
Giovanni Leoni, the big Italian who joined from Parma last summer but missed most of the season with a knee injury, is a similar story.
Therefore, signing a defender appears to be another item on an ever-growing to-do list.
Jeremy Jacquet, who is signing from Rennes in a deal agreed in January, is a talented defender but has played zero Premier League minutes
Who might leave?
Iraola’s arrival has a knock-on effect for many players across the board.
Harvey Elliott is an interesting case. Effectively binned off last summer when he was ‘sold’ for £35m to Aston Villa in a loan-to-buy deal that only became permanent when he made 10 appearances.
Everyone expected those terms to be met but Unai Emery did not fancy him. Elliott, alongside many others, will be given a chance to impress Iraola this summer before decisions are made.
Liverpool are holding out for £35m for Curtis Jones after rejecting a £21m bid from Inter Milan. They are prepared to let him run down his contract and risk losing him on a free next summer. No talks are active over a new deal but he is set to stay – unless a club stumps up that cash.
Harvey Elliott, who had a wasted season on loan at Aston Villa, will be given a chance to impress Andoni Iraola this summer before decisions are made on his future
Alisson looks likely to also stick around after holding talks with Juventus earlier in the summer. That is the best move for Liverpool. Federico Chiesa is another with an uncertain future. There is interest from Italy.
Young midfielders Trey Nyoni and James McConnell will be given chances to impress on the pre-season tour.
