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Liverpool obliterated its transfer record this summer, majorly reshaping its attack in the process.
Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, and Hugo Ekitike all came through the door for big money. All three were major targets, and other options were never seriously discussed. But there was some low-level chatter in the gossip columns about Julian Alvarez as a potential Isak alternative.
That followed on from concrete interest in Alvarez the previous summer, when he ended up exchanging Man City for Atletico Madrid. There had been very preliminary talk of a high-profile swap involving Luis Diaz, but both teams ultimately decided they would rather not strengthen a direct domestic rival.
Fast-forward to today, and you would assume that the Alvarez ship has sailed. Liverpool appears to have made its choice by signing Ekitike and Isak, the latter of whom was secured on deadline day for a British record fee after a protracted chase.
Nevertheless, Fichajes in Spain says that Alvarez is "seriously considering" his future in the capital. And it claims that Liverpool is at the front of the queue.
The report suggests that Liverpool is best positioned for Alvarez, despite interest from Barcelona. The Reds apparently view the 25-year-old as "ideal," valuing his ability to play across the front line.
This deserves a healthy dose of skepticism. But let's consider it for a minute.
After all, even with the presence of both Isak and Ekitike, Liverpool's front three on a match-by-match basis has generally been two-thirds the same as last season. 33-year-old Mohamed Salah is as ever-present as before, and Cody Gakpo continues to get starts.
So far, Slot has shown no appetite for playing Ekitike or Wirtz out on the wings. If he viewed Alvarez differently, perhaps it could open up some kind of avenue for a transfer.
Hypothetically, the long-term future could see Ekitike and Isak competing solely for the number nine spot, with Wirtz fighting for the advanced midfield berth. Alvarez could come in to compete on both wings, while providing a third option through the middle as required.
But while Liverpool will need to think about a Salah succession plan on the right at some point, it would surely make more sense to look at a natural winger. Versatility is valuable, but the ability to cover through the middle is surely some way down the list at the moment, given the outlay on Isak and Ekitike.
And that's before getting to the real bubble-burster. The apparent reason for Alvarez's unrest all but precludes a Liverpool switch.
Supposedly, Alvarez is not seeing eye to eye with Diego Simeone. One of the bones of contention is his compatriot's tendency to withdraw him before the end of games.
Were he to join this talent-stacked Liverpool attack, not completing 90 minutes would be almost a given. Alvarez undoubtedly has the talent to muscle his way into the setup as an important cog in the machine, but he would not be the absolute star man.
Even Isak will not have that luxury. He will surely start eventually, with his fitness still being built up, but Ekitike is always going to be on hand as a viable substitute.
In fact, only really Salah gets spared from Slot's tendency to make in-game changes. Even that may shift as the Egyptian gets older.
So while you can just about do the mental gymnastics to make it work from a squad planning perspective, a Liverpool move for Alvarez looks highly unlikely for multiple reasons. Never say never, with the club a known admirer, but keeping everyone happy would test Slot's man-management skills to their absolute limit.
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