Liverpool are likely working hard behind the scenes to identify a new signing to complete the midfield rebuild, but with the transfer window shortly closing, the club will now need to act incisively.
The winds of change have been blowing at Anfield this summer, and while Jurgen Klopp's side have started the Premier League season well – defeating Bournemouth and Newcastle United and drawing away to Chelsea – there are concerns that not enough has been done on the transfer front.
The Reds will likely push to sign at least one player, with reports indicating that attention is on young Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.
What's the latest on Ryan Gravenberch to Liverpool?
According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool are in direct contact with Gravenberch's agents ahead of a possible transfer in the window's dying embers, with Bayern understood to have changed their stance on a player previously considered untouchable.
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The Athletic's David Ornstein has recently claimed that Manchester United have the Dutchman on their radar, though are currently pushing to complete a loan move for Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat.
How good is Ryan Gravenberch?
Once hailed as the Netherlands' "greatest talent" by former Ajax forward Wim Kieft, Gravenberch was instrumental for de Godenzonen in their trophy-winning escapades before completing a €24m (£20m) transfer to the imperious Bundesliga giants last summer.
While he arrived as one of Europe's most prodigious talents, Gravenberch failed to make a mark in Germany and was handed just three Bundesliga starts all season, making just one brief cameo against Augsburg thus far this term.
Despite this, the £151k-per-week gem ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 19% for progressive passes, the top 13% for successful take-ons and the top 18% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.
Such an all-encompassing set of skills from such little match action is a testament to Gravenberch's innate ability, a technicality transcending the throngs of midfield hopefuls across Europe, and under Klopp's stewardship, he could be unlocked and nurtured to his full potential, described as a "dominant" machine in the engine room by former youth coach Brian Tevreden.
By sealing a swoop, Klopp could repeat his previous dealing with the German champions in signing Thiago Alcantara for £25m in 2020, with the distinguished Spaniard making 97 appearances and earning praise for his "staggering" performances by pundit Michael Owen, albeit spending a lot of time on English shores shackled to the medical room.
Given that Manchester United were believed to hold a firm interest in the 32-year-old pass-master prior to Liverpool's acquisition, Klopp could now seek to emulate his own former deal and claim a new Bavarian star to play a part in a new fight for illustrious success, potentially leaving the Red Devils in the dirt.
Sport Bild reporter Christian Falk has claimed that Liverpool are willing to make a £20m bid for the rising star, and doing so could prove to be another Klopp masterstroke in dipping into Bayern's transfer pool and procuring one of their most talented midfielders.
Having beaten Manchester United to the signing of Thiago, the Merseyside outfit now have the opportunity to repeat the feat and bag Gravenberch's signature for years to come.