The race for coveted Inter midfielder Nicolo Barella is heating up, with a wealth of top Premier League outfits contesting for the Italy international's signature this summer.
What's the latest on Liverpool's pursuit of Nicolo Barella?
Liverpool are at the forefront of the race, joined in their intrigue by Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United, all said to be 'crazy' about the prospect of signing Barella, according to FCInterNews.
Touted at as much as €100m (£87m) by his team's hierarchy, the vested interest in his services by English football's most prominent teams could create an exorbitant transfer battle.
Barella could be headed for the Nerazzurri exit door when considering reports that he is personally pushing for a departure in search of new horizons, but contracted with until 2026, it could be a taxing pursuit indeed.
Should Liverpool sign Nicolo Barella?
The obvious stumbling block for Klopp and co is, of course, Barella's price tag, which is not too far away from the €103m (£88m) initial fee that Real Madrid have paid to prise Jude Bellingham away from Borussia Dortmund.
However, should Liverpool's technical director Jorg Schmadtke manage to whittle the Inter ace's jaw-dropping valuation down over the next few weeks, the Reds would glean one of Europe's superlative maestros.
Indeed, having made 51 appearances this season, the 26-year-old has posted nine goals and ten assists and been hailed as a "genius" for his exploits by reporter Mike Piellucci, with the chance for glory awaiting in the Champions League final against Manchester City this weekend.
With Anfield waving goodbye to a host of departees this summer, space has been opened for someone of Barella's ilk to forge a career as the Merseyside club's new general, reinstating the cohesion and verve that blinked out of existence as Liverpool slipped into obscurity this season, failing to qualify for the Champions League.
Alexis Mac Allister has already been signed by Anfield's powers that be, penning a long-term contract after his £35m release clause at Brighton & Hove Albion was met, a shrewd move heralded as a "bargain" by Fabrizio Romano.
Liverpool acted with the ruthless incisiveness that has become a staple point of Klopp's tenure at the club, and the energy and dynamism that the 24-year-old brings will undoubtedly provide a shimmering new sheen to a central midfield requiring comprehensive reconstruction.
Barella would ice the cake, blending his maestro-like skill set with Mac Allister's box-surging, progressive presence and digging up the dynamism and intensity required for success in a Klopp system.
As per FBref, the 43-cap Italy gem ranks among the top 7% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals, the top 21% for assists, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 19% for progressive passes and the top 11% for progressive carries per 90.
Mac Allister, comparatively, ranks among the top 19% for shot-creating actions, the top 20% for progressive carries and the top 18% for successful take-ons per 90, which illustrates an interconnection of skill sets, pushing the ball upfield and suffocating opposition with first-rate creativity and crisp passing play.
Whether Liverpool decide to bite the bullet and acquiesce to Inter's monetary demands remains to be seen, but unquestionably, Barella is a midfielder of every bit the calibre to take Anfield back to the peak of the mountain of aspiring European outfits.