NEWS NOW: Klopp excited as Roméo Lavia ‘makes feelings clear’ amid Man United ‘hijack’ plan

A new number six is the current priority, although Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté could also do with a bit more support at the back. Between injury and form concerns, most of the current crop could be described as patchy.

Roméo Lavia looks to be the most likely option at the moment to fill that midfield void, and it seems the player himself is keen to complete a move to Anfield. Meanwhile, there are suggestions Manchester United could be interested in a player Liverpool has long held an interest for.

Here is the Liverpool.com verdict on the transfer gossip to emerge around the Reds today.

Roméo Lavia (Southampton)

Roméo Lavia ‘really wants’ to move to Liverpool according to Dutch outlet HLN, with the Reds still in talks for the Southampton midfielder.

Liverpool has now had three offers rejected for the 19-year-old, with Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy reporting that a $59m (£46m/€53m) bid has been turned down, although it isn’t giving up the chase.

Southampton is holding firm in its €64m (£50m/€58m) valuation, with discussions continuing this week. Journalist Ben Jacobs has even claimed that a fourth bid, which went in soon after the third, has been submitted for the player.

Liverpool.com says: Liverpool hasn’t really left itself with much choice at this stage but to follow through with Lavia. A new number six is needed, options are getting thinner on the ground, and the games are about to be coming thick and fast as the new season gets underway.

To have left it this late before the opening game is certainly not a great look for the Reds. If Lavia is to come in before Chelsea, it’s unlikely he’ll start at Stamford Bridge, but he’ll need to be integrated so that Liverpool isn’t left without a natural number six for too long.

Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid)

Manchester United has been linked with a move for Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, which could scupper any Liverpool hopes of signing the French international.

According to Diario Sport, Man United is interested in taking the 23-year-old to Old Trafford. Liverpool has long been linked with Tchouaméni, having missed out on his signature last year, while a mixed season in Madrid has seen him linked with a move to Anfield again this summer.

Liverpool.com says: You can’t help but think this would go down like a lead balloon if it were true. Plenty of Liverpool fans have implored the club to go all-in for Tchouaméni this summer, so it would be pretty galling if he ended up at Old Trafford instead.

Thankfully, it does seem as though Tchouaméni has no interest in leaving Madrid, and Real seems equally reluctant to move him on. Plus, having already gone big on Mason Mount, André Onana and now Rasmus Højlund, you can’t really see where they’re going to find the funds for what would be another big signing.