Liverpool are about to step up efforts to sign a £45 million midfield superstar in a move that could complete the Reds' lineup.
Jurgen Klopp signed four midfielders in the summer but has surprised some with his choices to start in the centre of the park so far. Dominik Szoboszlai has been a regular fixture, with Ryan Gravenberch playing a few more minutes of late.
But Alexis Mac Allister has been favoured deepest in the midfield three ahead of a more natural No.6 in Wataru Endo, as Klopp plays the Argentine World Cup winner in an unfamiliar deeper role.
That could be about to change, however, with Liverpool poised to go after Manu Kone.
The Borussia Monchengladbach star has been linked with a Merseyside move for a while now, with Christian Falk of BILD now claiming that Liverpool are "still watching" the star.
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While Kone could be best suited as the deepest midfielder in Klopp's system, however, it's intriguingly far from a foregone conclusion that he will play there – similarly to Mac Allister.
Kone is adept at playing as a No.8, too, and may function as more of a box-to-box player for Liverpool. Andre Trindade, a more natural No.6, has been linked, while Gravenberch has been touted by some as a potential option to convert into a more defensive-minded midfielder, due to his build and positional sense.
Liverpool also have Stefan Bajcetic, who can play as the most defensive-minded midfield.
Kone is valued at €40m by Transfermarkt.
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