They say strengthen while you're on top, and that is exactly what Liverpool have done this summer, with the runaway Premier League champions having already secured three marquee deals to bolster Arne Slot's ranks.
After a quiet first summer in charge, the Dutch coach has so far welcomed Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez into the fold - alongside two new goalkeepers - with rumours still rife regarding a further move for Crystal Palace captain, Marc Guehi.
With Darwin Nunez's impending switch to Napoli also heightening the need for a striker, the Reds don't appear to be done just yet - a scary prospect for the chasing pack.
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Liverpool are making sweeping changes in the transfer market as Slot prepares to defend his PL title.
What is yet to be seen, however, is whether such incomings will spark a raft of further outgoings at Anfield to help balance the books, with speculation rife over Luis Diaz's future at the club.
The latest on Luis Diaz's Liverpool future
Previously looking set to be the man to replace Sadio Mane on the left flank, Diaz found a new home for himself through the middle under the new Slot regime last term, resulting in his best return for the club to date with 25 goals and assists in 50 games in all competitions.
Liverpool forward Luis Diaz
The 28-year-old appears to have properly found his groove in a Liverpool shirt, although with just two years left to run on his existing deal, it remains to be seen what the future lies in store, with talk of an extension having seemingly gone quiet.
That uncertainty has provided a potential opportunity for suitors to pounce, with recent months having seen Barcelona heavily linked with a move, while interest in the Colombian has also emerged from Saudi Arabia.
A further destination also presented itself in the form of Bayern Munich, with the Bundesliga side's director of sport, Max Eberl, believed to have made contact amid the hopes of landing the £73m-rated forward.
As revealed by journalist Paul Joyce, that approach has been rebuffed by the Merseysiders, with Liverpool holding firm on their stance that the player is not for sale.
Diaz-Liverpool-stats
Diaz may yet stay at Anfield this summer it would seem - although that's not to say the club aren't seeking a potential upgrade in the attacking ranks...
Liverpool's search for a new forward
The Reds' interest in Alexander Isak remains a hot topic on Merseyside, albeit with the fact remaining that it would take a colossal bid to prise the Swede from St James' Park, not least with Newcastle United reportedly slapping down a £200m price tag.
Alexander-Isak-Darwin-Nunez
Alternative centre-forward options thus need to be considered, with journalist Fabrizio Romano - speaking on his YouTube channel - reporting that Liverpool are actually "discussing" a move for Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike.
The suggestion is that Slot and co will step up their interest in the £85m marksman if and when Nunez's expected exit is sealed, with Romano stating:
"Liverpool are working on this deal, they are discussing the possibility of adding Hugo Ekitike to their squad. The idea of Liverpool is to have one more striker, they are waiting to understand what happens with Darwin Nunez with conversations ongoing with Napoli.
“Liverpool can add a new striker, so Hugo Ekitike remains a name on the list for the club."
Why Ekitike could be an upgrade on Diaz
The beauty of Diaz in Slot's tenure thus far has been his surprising versatility, with the orthodox left-winger having fashioned a new role for himself as a false nine or centre-forward, amid Nunez's dismal return of just seven goals across all fronts in 2024/25.
Liverpool Ekitike
That said, Ekitike also boasts that same flexibility to feature off the left or in a central role, with the promising Frenchman having even eclipsed Diaz's return of 25 goal involvements last term.
Indeed, the 23-year-old - who was previously on the books at Paris Saint-Germain - racked up a mammoth haul of 34 goals and assists in just 48 games in Germany last time out, having surpassed his Liverpool counterpart in both of those metrics.
Most goals & assists in 24/25 - U23 players in Europe's top 5 leagues
Player
Michael Olise
Mason Greenwood
Erling Haaland
Bradley Barcola
Cole Palmer
Yamine Lamal
Hugo Ekitike
Florian Wirtz
Stats via Transfermarkt
On the league front, in particular, it was Ekitike who also enjoyed the greater success with 15 goals and eight assists in the Bundesliga, with Diaz, by contrast, contributing 'just' 13 goals and seven assists in the Premier League.
Away from just that end product, the Frankfurt star also came out on top with regard to big chances created (12 vs eight), as well as for successful dribbles completed (1.6 vs 1.5), as per Sofascore, thus showcasing the full array of his talents.
Lauded as a "world-class" figure by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the relative youngster has also been described as looking like the "perfect centre-forward" by TNT pundit Owen Hargreaves - all while still just 23.
While Liverpool certainly don't need to weaken their ranks by selling Diaz, providing increased competition in the forward line would be a mouthwatering prospect, not least if the Reds would actually be getting an upgrade in the process.
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Liverpool are running rampant in the transfer market this summer.