Jorg Schmadtke has, by and large, appeased the Liverpool support since taking the role of sporting director earlier this year, and the next month will be telling in how well he can close out his first transfer window at Anfield.
World Cup winner and Brighton & Hove Albion star, Alexis Mac Allister, joined for £35m in June, while Dominik Szoboszlai completed a £60m transfer this month in a move that rose from the shadows and was completed swiftly, in trademark Liverpool fashion.
Such incomings were necessary following the exits of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who all left upon the expiry of their contracts this summer, but with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho now off to Saudi Arabia, the Reds' midfield feels somewhat thin despite the possible incoming of Romeo Lavia from Southampton.
If Schmadtke can navigate through the perils and perhaps secure one more signing, the Anfield side will feel well-placed to challenge at the forefront of English football once again.
Who will Liverpool sign this summer?
The latest name to enter the transfer discourse on Merseyside is Barcelona's Franck Kessie, with the Ivorian ace deemed expendable by Barcelona, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Sport previously revealed that Liverpool would be willing to part with (£30m) to secure the imposing midfielder's services, though given the work done on the transfer front thus far a move might only come into fruition if that valuation is whittled down.
How good is Franck Kessie?
Kessie is best described as a powerful midfield vehicle capable of crashing into dangerous offensive areas while also boasting a defensive sheen to his arsenal, having been once heralded for his "devastating" impact by Stefano Pioli.
The box-to-box player would bring physicality to Liverpool's midfield and could help instil a "warrior" – as called by talent scout Jacek Kulig – attitude that certainly evaded the Liverpool ranks last year as the team failed to qualify for the Champions League.
As per FBref, the £149k-per-week midfielder ranks among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking box and progressive passes received per 90, confirming his adept skill at ploughing forward and stretching the opposition lines, hailed as a "beast" by journalist Sacha Pisani.
With the dynamic Cody Gakpo occupying the centre-forward role at Anfield, this could prove to be an invaluable tool for Klopp as he devises a strategy for success this summer.
Gakpo completed an initial £35m move to Liverpool from PSV in January, arriving at a turbulent time but cementing a starting berth in the side as Liverpool enjoyed a late-season purple patch to spark renewed optimism in the forthcoming prospects.
Scoring seven goals and providing three assists for the Reds across 26 outings, the Dutchman has been hailed "magnificent" by Josh Bunting, and his set of skills could bring the best out of an ace like Kessie.
Indeed, the 23-year-old ranks among the top 10% of forwards for assists, the top 17% for shot-creating actions, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 1% for tackles per 90, meaning that not only can he drop deep and pick out forward-surging players with slick passes, but he gets stuck in and can disrupt the play with his high tackling output.
With this in mind, Klopp may consider signing Kessie, given the support he would have on Merseyside and the duo that could be formed, with the Ivorian latching onto Gakpo's creativity and returning to the top of his game.
