Liverpool are mulling over issuing a swoop for Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie, who has found regular minutes hard to come by at Camp Nou.
What's the latest on Franck Kessie to Liverpool?
According to Inter Live (via Sport), Liverpool have reportedly lodged an early opening offer for the Ivorian midfielder after a lacklustre maiden year in Catalonia.
The La Blaugrana ace joined Xavi's side from AC Milan last summer and has won LaLiga, but has failed to reach the same heights that he achieved in Italy, and Reds boss Jurgen Klopp could now offer him a lifeline.
Valued at €35m (£30m), the 26-year-old engine would add a new facet to Anfield's centre after James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all departed upon the expiry of their contracts this summer.
Should Liverpool sign Franck Kessie?
The box-to-box menace played an important role in Milan's Serie A-winning 21/22 campaign, earning an average rating of 7.07 – as per Sofascore – playing 31 league matches, scoring six goals and completing 89% of his passes as he provided a robust presence at the heart of the outfit.
At Barcelona, while he has played 43 times across all competitions, Kessie only started seven times in the Spanish top-flight and will be sweating over the future prominence of his role with his club's vested interest in signing a new midfielder.
The 60-cap international, should he be signed by Liverpool, would add an invaluable sheen of physicality and a progressive presence, hailed as a "beast" by journalist Sacha Pisani, and could be the perfect replacement for departee Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Forgetting the central exodus for a moment, the Reds' centre has already been sapped of energy and vitality this term in a stark decline that has resulted in failure to qualify for the Champions League, and new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke must now implement the optimum strategy to rekindle the former fire.
'Ox' had failed to effectively contribute for the lion's share of this stricken season, playing just 13 times across all competitions and starting on just four occasions in the Premier League, including just 20 minutes in the league across the final 18 matches of the term, missing at least 14 matches due to injury.
Kessie, who did play a peripheral role this year, has missed only seven matches due to unavailability, according to Transfermarkt, across the duration of his career, and boasts the kind of progressive nature that Klopp needs to get the Merseyside machine whirring again.
This is evidenced by his ranking among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes received and touches in the offensive box per 90, as per FBref, illustrating a knack at driving forward into danger areas.
Described as "sensational" by reporter Carlo Garganese, the £150k-per-week ace would be an excellent addition for Klopp and co, bolstering the ranks, adding some much-needed physicality and resurrecting the steely tenacity that has faded like fallen autumn leaves on the brink of winter.