Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool aren't exactly famed for splashing the cash but could be eyeing a summer transfer window to remember next year.
The Reds are linked with a move for Bayern Munich ace Leroy Sane as Klopp aims to revitalise his squad and restore the club to the kind of glory that saw them lift both the Premier League and the Champions League in a two-year period. To do so, he'll need to be armed with plenty of money, something that hasn't always been so readily available at Anfield.
However, next summer could be a different story as Liverpool are gearing up to fund their potential purchase of Sane and others by letting talismanic forward Mohamed Salah leave the club that same window. The Egypt international has long been the subject of interest from a number of Saudi Arabian outfits and it looks as if Salah is edging ever closer to the exit door.
Liverpool turned down a jaw-dropping £150million bid from Al-Ittihad just before the last transfer deadline and are unlikely to do so again if a similar offer is presented to them given Salah's age. Anything north of £100m could see the Reds bring in a couple of fresh faces, with Sane believed to be the number one target.
The 27-year-old has enjoyed a sensational start to the season with Bayern, notching seven goals in 11 appearances and as a result has attracted attention from not only Liverpool but Spanish giants Real Madrid. However, Sane's admiration of Klopp is well-documented and that could be a deciding factor.
Premier League odds and betting tipsLiverpool came close to landing Sane's services back in 2016 before he eventually joined Manchester City. The wide-forward discussed the interest from the Reds with the Guardian years later. "Yes, I was also talking with them," he admitted. "Jurgen was calling me too, talking to me. That was before I joined City.
"He did a good job at [Borussia] Dortmund – I met him when he was there. He's a good guy, nice guy – honest. He [has] worked well with Liverpool." Sane's arrival would be quite something, but he is not the only new face that could arrive in the summer.
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The lack of a number six in the Reds midfield has been a talking point all season and Kalvin Phillips is all but certain to leave City this summer. It is undeniable that the England international's stock has fallen since his Etihad switch, but there are few managers more capable of turning the tide on a flatlining career like Klopp.
For all of Trent Alexander-Arnold's technical ability and attacking output, there remain question marks over his defending. As a result, a new right-back may also be a wise investment and with Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries out of contract in 2025, if he doesn't pen a new deal with Inter Milan soon Liverpool could swoop.
Potential Liverpool XI next summer (4-3-3):Alisson; Dumfries, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Phillips, Mac Allister; Sane, Nunez, Gakpo