Kylian Mbappe signed autographs and took selfies with supporters after a training session with PSG reserve players on July 22, less than 24 hours after the club left him out of their squad for a pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea (Image: Tom MASSON / AFP)
Liverpool were always plotting a long-awaited midfield revamp this summer, but the enforced extent of such surgery will likely have caught many by surprise.
Having waved off James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at the end of their contracts, the Reds moved quickly to snap up Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai before the start of pre-season. They were still interested in a third midfield recruit, with Romeo Lavia earmarked as a potential long-term replacement for Fabinho, but, put off by Southampton’s £50m asking-price, duly switched attention to a new centre-back instead.
