Arthur Melo was signed on loan in what can now only be perceived as a panic buy, with injuries aplenty in midfield. Federico Chiesa, however, joins with a different air about him, having been riddled with setbacks in recent years but joining a sizeable attacking line of significant quality.
Federico Chiesa for Juventus
We haven't been here before, not quite. Liverpool now have an attack that has depth and destructive power to achieve Arne Slot's lofty goals, but there's still work that's needed in other areas - will FSG get it done?
Liverpool lost Joel Matip at the end of his contract this summer, Sepp van den Berg has been sold to Brentford for £25m and Virgil van Dijk has stepped into the final year of his £220k-per-week deal.
As such, there might just be something in Sky Germany's claims that Liverpool have enquired about RB Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan, who has a €70m (£60m) release clause.
The 24-year-old is mooted to leave before the deadline, and what's more, the Bundesliga side are working on signing the highly-touted Antonio Silva from Benfica.
What Mohamed Simakan would bring to Liverpool
Hailed as a "phenomenon" by Strasbourg reserves manager Francois Keller, whom he cut his teeth working for as he made strides toward the professional game, Simakan is the real deal.
mohamed-simakan-rb-leipzig
He offers athletic superiority and a sharp technical game besides, and Liverpool could make fine use of his qualities, for he ranks among the top 11% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues for assists, the top 2% for shot-creating actions and the top 8% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, hammering that point home.
A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent's goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.
The 24-year-old's physique and gas tank allow him to operate across the backline, evidenced by his spread-out positional deployment throughout his career. He's even found a place as a sitting midfielder once or twice, with his composure and ball-carrying ability even suggesting that he could replicate one of the Premier League's finest titans in William Saliba.
Mohamed Simakan: Career Stats by Position
Position
Apps
Goals
Assists
Centre-back
105
4
5
Right-back
49
4
7
Defensive midfield
2
0
1
Right midfield
2
0
1
Stats via Transfermarkt
Arsenal's star centre-half is one of the most composed in the game, utterly mesmerising in the effortless manner of his performances. Strikers are discouraged when forced into his path, and he has even been hailed as "the best CB in the world" with "perfect" defensive timing by one prominent content creator.
The France international also completed 71% of his dribbles in the top-flight last season, averaging 0.3 per game. For a central defender, this is an impressive rate and indicative of his progressive nature.
France's William Saliba
Simakan, meanwhile, also offers a ball-carrying game of similar proportions, actually averaging 0.4 carries per Bundesliga match last year, at a success rate of 60%.
The Leipzig defender would have much to prove at Liverpool before he could safely say he's performing to a level resembling Saliba, but he has the suitable profile to achieve such success.
Moreover, his mobility and energy would prove to suit Van Dijk's game, with the Liverpool colossus universally regarded as one of the finest defenders of his generation.
The Netherlands star only averaged 0.1 dribbles per game last year, however, and benefits from the more bouncing energy of Ibrahima Konate beside him, who can close gaps and cover ground to allow Trent Alexander-Arnold to push up the pitch and unleash his creative might.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk
Konate's injury record and lapses in form have limited him to just 46 Premier League starts since signing from Leipzig for £36m just over three years ago, so Simakan truly could be the dream addition to ensure that Liverpool and Van Dijk fire on all cylinders for the year ahead.
Liverpool-Chiesa
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