Liverpool rocked the footballing world when they beat off fierce competition from Manchester City and Bayern Munich to sign Florian Wirtz in a British-record £116m deal.
Bayer Leverkusen's talismanic playmaker had played an instrumental role in completing an invincible domestic double in 2023/24, with Xabi Alonso almost left speechless at times, managing to remark at one point: "Wirtz is a genius".
Florian Wirtz - Career Stats by Season
Season
24/25
23/24
22/23
21/22
20/21
19/20
Data via Transfermarkt
He's ebbed and flowed across his opening two fixtures in a Liverpool shirt, it must be said, although there's no question that the German is one of the most exciting signings in the club's history, having showcased his easy gait and technical elegance. There's plenty more to come.
However, there's another top transfer target on sporting director Richard Hughes' watchlist who could have a bigger impact than the 22-year-old, should he sign before the deadline on September 1st.
Liverpool lining up another signing
You might well feel that the following section is going to detail Liverpool's protracted pursuit of Alexander Isak, but the Newcastle United striker is not the focus here.
Locked in purgatory at St. James' Park, Isak has fought tooth and nail to earn his dream move to Merseyside this summer, but the Magpies have failed to sign any of their myriad targets at number nine, leaving everyone in limbo as the window approaches the final stretch.
Without a doubt, Isak is a world-class striker and Liverpool will sign him this summer if encouraged by the suits on Tyneside, but he's not the only Premier League star on FSG's radar.
Indeed, according to Football Insider, Liverpool remain in talks with Crystal Palace as they push to sign Marc Guehi before the transfer deadline, with the centre-back having entered the final year of his £50k-per-week contract.
Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi looks dejected after Newcastle United's Harvey Barnes scores their third goal
Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi looks dejected.
The Eagles are said to have lowered their asking price from £40m to £35m after negotiations with the Anfield side, although it's suggested that Hughes and co still harbour reservations about paying such a figure for a player who is heading toward free agency.
Why Liverpool should sign Marc Guehi
Guehi has fashioned himself into a rather top-class centre-back over the past several years, instrumental in Crystal Palace's FA Cup triumph under Oliver Glasner's wing last year, after being hailed as "England's best player" at EURO 2024 by analyst Ben Mattinson.
Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi reacts after the match
Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi reacts.
A steely defender with an impressive technical range and an invariably calm head, Guehi is the real deal, having been created in the furnaces of the Chelsea Cobham scene before making his way at Selhurst Park, growing in size, strength, and significance.
You can see why Liverpool want him. As per FBref, Guehi ranks among the top 9% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues for shot-creating actions, the top 20% for successful take-ons, and the top 2% for through balls per 90, underlining his quality on the ball.
Shot-creating actions are pieces of play that lead to a shot. These include moments such as a pass, take-on or foul being drawn.
Such completeness denotes his potential to become a superstar at Liverpool, and it's not out of the question that Guehi could have a dramatic impact upon arriving at Anfield, perhaps even a bigger one than Wirtz.
While Wirtz has yet to spread his wings in a Liverpool shirt, it's early days, and the club are also undergoing a transformation after so much change this summer.
Expect him to improve incrementally as he adapts to the pace of the Premier League.
Guehi, on the other hand, would be expected to arrive and instantly ignite a spark in Liverpool's backline, reinforcing the defensive barriers while using those ball-playing qualities to improve the fluency of Slot's season-year squad.
Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi reacts
Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi reacts
Praised as a "monster in defence" by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, Guehi has what it takes to become a jackpot signing for Liverpool, especially when considering the need to bolster Virgil van Dijk's backline with an extra player, as Ibrahima Konate's future continues to be a flashpoint for the fans.
The France international has sadly depicted a player who has reached an important juncture and with the knowledge that they are heading toward a Bosman. Against Bournemouth, during Liverpool's league opener, Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher even commented that the 26-year-old was "" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">all over the place".
Guehi, conversely, has been a paragon of professionalism and style over the past few weeks at Palace, captaining his team as they defeated Liverpool at Wembley to claim the Community Shield before holding Chelsea to a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge in last week's Premier League curtain-raiser.
It's not hard to imagine him carrying his Eagles form over to Liverpool, providing Slot with depth and dynamism at the back that could put these lingering discussions about Liverpool's balance and fragility in defence behind him.
Whether Liverpool have the right kind of balance with Wirtz standing proud in midfield is a debate that may well continue over the coming days. St. James' Park on Monday evening will perhaps teach us a bit more about where things are at.
Florian Wirtz in action for Liverpool
Florian Wirtz in action for Liverpool
It's the kind of signing that could ensure Liverpool get themselves over the finish line in first place, retaining their league title with a strong backline that complements an attacking mix of players so replete with first-class talent.
For sure, Wirtz has proven himself time and time again over his maiden years as a professional and certainly has the potential to leave an indelible mark on the English game.
But we haven't seen the best of him yet, and in Guehi, Liverpool might just land themselves the missing piece of the puzzle, slotting right in and raising the bar from the off.