There are not too many areas of the Liverpool roster where there are question marks at the moment. Leading the way in both the Premier League and the Champions League, Arne Slot's men are in a pretty good place.
In the Liverpool forward line, however, there are a couple of questions in the medium term. As a result, it is intriguing that according to the Brazilian outlet UOL, Liverpool has made Brighton star Joao Pedro a priority for 2025 with the Reds said to be assessing the market for potential number nine reinforcements.
With Darwin Nunez still inconsistent and Diogo Jota having a tendency to pick up injuries, it would be a move that makes sense. And Pedro would be an ideal fit stylistically too.
At 23, he is the right age to take the next step in his career and Pedro is showcasing the exact kind of skillset that Liverpool has admired in the past. He links play brilliantly, he is excellent off the ball, and he is starting to score and assist regularly too, having netted four goals and provided three assists in nine appearances this season under Fabian Hurzeler.
Compared to other forwards or attacking midfielders in Europe's top five leagues, Pedro is elite in terms of his defensive numbers - in the 90th percentile for tackles and the 97th for interceptions. His passing and creativity numbers, meanwhile, are all in the high 80s or into the 90s percentile-wise. In many ways, he is showing signs of having the potential to become the next Roberto Firmino.
The soccer data site FBref even notes that two of Pedro's top-five most stylistically similar players are Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo, which should be a good sign about him being a decent fit. Both of those players are good off the ball, and increasingly influential in the final third too under Slot.
Joao Pedro of Brighton has been linked with Liverpool
Joao Pedro of Brighton has been linked with Liverpool (Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Brighton spent $38 million (£30m/€36m) on Pedro when he moved from Watford in 2023 and would therefore demand significantly more than that to let him leave. The Seagulls are a club that knows how to maximize profits on their sales, with Alexis Mac Allister a rarity because of a release clause that his representatives insisted would be in his contract.
There is still a question mark on exactly how Slot views the number nine role, too, with Nunez, Jota and Diaz all having played there under him so far. Each of them interprets it differently. If Liverpool does want more of an all-round influence who links as well he finishes, though, Pedro should be near the top of the list.
"He was the best player on the pitch," former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi said of Pedro - valued at at least $68m (£54m/€65m), according to Fichajes - after he netted twice against Spurs last season. "He played another incredible game. I am really pleased with his improvement in mentality and attitude.
"In the defensive phase, he defended like a center-back for 90 minutes. He is becoming a top player. I hope in the next year to work with him, but it will be very tough."
De Zerbi, as it happened, left Brighton in the summer and no longer works with Pedro. His prediction that the Brazilian will end up at a top club, however, is likely to come true. If Liverpool does hold a serious interest in him, it would make plenty of sense - even if his signature won't come cheap.