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Liverpool has made an audacious approach for Alexander Isak, informing Newcastle that it is ready to break the British transfer record. Any possible agreement remains some way off, but the news that a deal is genuinely being explored is mouth-watering.
The current transfer record is potentiallly held by Florian Wirtz. Brought to Anfield earlier this summer, add-ons would make him the country's most expensive player, although the base fee falls on the other side of that line.
Regardless, two transfers of such magnitude in one summer would be almost unheard of at any club, never mind one where stars are generally made, not bought. Richard Hughes is doing his utmost to equip Arne Slot with a side capable of forming a dynasty.
Even before any transfers, this was a team that strolled to the Premier League title last season. Admittedly, other competitors failed to mount much of a challenge, but the addition of so much quality and firepower to an already-winning formula is an incredible prospect.
Talent is being added from back to front. In goal, Giorgi Mamardashvili should set Liverpool up for years to come — although in the immediate future, he is highly unlikely to unseat Alisson.
In defense, Jeremie Frimpong is an exciting replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold. But he will not cause Slot to forget about Conor Bradley, who has already established himself as an exceptional all-round full-back.
On the other side, Milos Kerkez has arrived to ultimately take over from Andy Robertson. The Hungarian was the division's stand-out left-back last season.
The midfield is more or less set, after a transformative 2023 window that saw Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo join the club. But Wirtz could offer a sprinkling of star dust if Slot elects to play him as part of the central unit.
That would surely become more likely in the event that Isak arrives as well. The Swede would obviously play as the elite, outright number nine that Liverpool has been craving, potentially leaving Wirtz to carve out chances from deeper.
In theory, Wirtz could also play as one of the wide forwards. But with Mohamed Salah going nowhere, and Liverpool adamant that Luis Diaz is not for sale, those roles look reasonably set.
Without any formation changes, then, Liverpool's line-up with Isak might look something like this:
Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Wirtz; Salah, Isak, Diaz.
That looks formiddable, but it would be very tough dropping Szoboszlai (or any of the midifield three) to the bench. His work-rate set the tone for Slot's Liverpool last season, before even mentioning his technical qualities.
Perhaps a slight tweak in shape would be more likely. Salah could come in more narrow behind the striker, as he has done at points before in his Liverpool career, and Wirtz could play in the equivalent role off the left.
That would create a truly elite front three, albeit of a different kind to the one Liverpool is used to: Wirtz and Salah behind Isak, with the width coming more from bombing full-backs like Frimpong and Kerkez. The existing midfield unit could then remain intact.
That would look like this: Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Wirtz; Isak.
Football games aren't won on paper, but it almost feels like game over if Liverpool enters the new season with that lineup. It is an incredible array of players, all of whom seem suited to Slot's demands.
Not only that, but Slot would be able to switch between the two systems, with the personnel to radically affect games from the bench. For instance, Diaz and Cody Gakpo could completely change the attacking dynamics of that second team.
It's no wonder Liverpool is ready to pay the big bucks for Isak. But it's equally little wonder that Newcastle is standing firm — and unless that changes, neither of these new line-ups will see the light of day.
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