Liverpool have been warned against making a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara, with John Barnes not convinced that the Premier League champions should stray from their “workmanlike” approach.
Jurgen Klopp has delivered considerable success at Anfield after addressing issues at both ends of the field.
Alisson and Virgil van Dijk are among those to have plugged defensive leaks, while Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino form one of the most fearsome attacking units on the planet.
In the middle of the park, Klopp has favoured graft over guile, with Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho his favoured options.
It has been suggested that the Reds could do with more creativity in that department, with no like-for-like replacement having been brought in for Philippe Coutinho since the Brazilian departed for Barcelona in January 2018.
A raid on Bayern for Spain international Thiago has been mooted, with the 29-year-old considering a switch to England after seven years in Germany.
Barnes, though, believes that his presence on Merseyside could do more harm than good, with Liverpool set to be forced into tweaking an approach that has served them so well.
The Reds legend told BBC Sport: “With the midfield being very workmanlike, they are a lot of points better off than everybody else.
“The reason you can have two full-backs attacking at the same time and three strikers is because they have three hard-working midfielders to protect that situation.
“If you get another creative midfielder and you want your full-backs and front three to attack, then maybe you are going to concede more goals.
“Manchester City have got how many creative players in their midfield? But Liverpool finished 20-odd points ahead of them.
“Maybe Manchester City should say: ‘Let's get more hard-working players in midfield so we can catch Liverpool’.”
Barnes has stated on a regular basis that he believes Liverpool can do without investing heavily in the summer window, with there already enough quality in their ranks, and he is refusing to waver in that stance.
The ex-England international added, with many sides around the world being forced to rein their financial ambition in: “I don't even think it is the coronavirus pandemic. I don't necessarily think they need to make huge signings.
“Jurgen Klopp likes the harmony of the squad. Maybe he has to get more squad signings but not big-name signings necessarily going into the first XI.”