Liverpool's breezy early summer transfer business has been disrupted by a maelstrom of recent activity following moves from Saudi Arabian outfits Al Ettifaq and Al-Ittihad for Jordan Henderson and Fabinho respectively.
Dominick Szoboszlai's anticipated £60m acquisition was preceded by the astute £35m deal for Brighton & Hove Albion's Alexis Mac Allister, and manager Jurgen Klopp's rebuild after a tumultuous year looked to be headed for success once again.
Captain Henderson, aged 33, will be a missed figure on Merseyside after leading the Reds to nearly the whole gamut of silverware under Klopp's wing, but Fabinho is far more integral to the club's endeavours on the pitch, and securing a worthy replacement to anchor the centre is now vital.
Which players are Liverpool interested in signing?
Recent transfer speculation has linked Southampton's Romeo Lavia to a move to Anfield but given Fabinho's possible departure expecting a 19-year-old – however talented they may be – to hold the midfield together as Liverpool look to return to the very top might be a risky game.
This is why Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure could be the perfect option – according to Football Insider, the Malian midfielder is available for £50m after excelling in south London last term, and Liverpool are at the forefront of the transfer reckoning.
However, the Daily Mail suggest that the Eagles' staggering £70m valuation is to be believed, with expensive deals from the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea distorting the modern market and what has previously been deemed acceptable.
How good is Cheick Doucoure?
Having made the move from Ligue 1 to the Premier League one year ago, signing for Crystal Palace from Lens in a £21m deal, Doucoure thrived as the outfit's new starring defensive midfielder.
He was hailed as "combative, intelligent, and consistent" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig and started 34 league fixtures, leaving little surprise that he bagged the side's Player of the Season award despite fine years from the likes of Wilfried Zaha and Eberechi Eze.
His skill set has been confirmed by former teammate Seko Fofana, who said:
“Cheick knows how to do everything on the pitch. He’s one of the best players I’ve played with. He knows how to shoot from a distance, pass, break the lines, dribble, defend. He does not feel the opposing pressure.”
Having also been lauded for his "aggressive" nature by prominent Palace podcaster Dan Cook, the 23-year-old could prove to be Klopp's answer to Manchester United's Casemiro, reversing their historic rivals' ascent to Champions League football last campaign and halting the revival that secured the Carabao Cup.
Manchester United had fallen by the wayside before Erik ten Hag took the reins one year ago, and his £70m move for Real Madrid's distinguished anchor has proved to have solved some of the issues that had inhibited the squad of recent years.
The Brazilian star was called "unreal" by journalist Liam Canning for his exploits on English shores, earning an impressive Sofascore rating of 7.21 as a third-placed finish was achieved, clinching seven direct goal contributions and making 3.2 tackles and 2.1 clearances per game.
The £350k-per-week phenom's devastating defensive acumen is illustrated by FBref, who rank him among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for blocks, the top 4% for tackles, the top 2% for clearances and the top 14% for interceptions per 90.
Doucoure, while in the early phases of his career, can emulate his 31-year-old peer's influence for Liverpool, ranking among the top 3% of positional peers for interceptions, the top 19% for blocks and the top 18% for clearances per 90.
For Liverpool to snap up such a robust central talent as his career takes flight would be a brilliant move that could cement the stature of the midfield for years to come, and with United's success with Casemiro, perhaps it is time for Liverpool to sign their own No. 6 to thread an exciting crop of players together.