Liverpool should be exploring transfer possibilities when it comes to Caglar Soyuncu, Diego Llorente, Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho, says Reds legend John Barnes.
Jurgen Klopp is in the process of piecing together recruitment plans at Anfield for the next window and several top targets have already been mooted, with RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner considered by many to head up that list.
Napoli centre-half Kalidou Koulibaly is another to have generated plenty of speculation when it comes to Premier League suitors.
Barnes, though, has suggested that Liverpool could look closer to home when it comes to defensive additions, with Turkey international Soyuncu having starred for Leicester as their replacement for Harry Maguire.
The former Reds midfielder told GentingBet: "Soyuncu would fit in well at any club.
"He’s taken the role of centre-back at Leicester by the scruff of the neck and he’s really improved and given something extra as well as he’s good on the ball.
"If Leicester did want to sell, Soyuncu could go to any of the top clubs."
Moving up the pitch and Barnes believes Real Sociedad midfielder Llorente could be a useful long-term addition for Klopp.
He added: "Liverpool’s recruitment is very specific, they’ll be looking at years down the line and Llorente is only 26. Having someone like Llorente come in and give a solidness as well as the experience is great."
Getty/Goal
On the flanks, with the Reds searching for greater depth in their attacking arsenal, Borussia Dortmund winger Sancho is said to be attracting admiring glances from Liverpool and Manchester United.
Barnes said of a man who is already following in his footsteps with the Three Lions: "I'm going to patriotic and say that Sancho would be great, being an England player and an entertaining player as well. I would say someone like that would be great to get on the wing and terrorise defences."
While Sancho could provide ammunition from wide areas, Klopp is looking for somebody to take those chances in the middle.
He possesses plenty of firepower in Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, but reinforcements are always welcome.
Barnes feels Haaland would be a fearsome addition to that unit, with the teenage striker having shown at Red Bull Salzburg and Dortmund how destructive he can be.
"He’s unbelievable and for such a young lad who is taking everything by storm, he’s taking everything in his stride, "Barnes said.
"He’s one of those players who doesn’t worry or think too much and he just does what needs to be done. If he played alongside Salah and Mane playing on the wing with Firmino as another option, he would be outstanding.
"He will only grow bigger, confidence-wise, he’ll only get wiser with the way that he plays and he’ll only get cuter with the way that he finishes. The sky is the limit, so it’s up to him to keep that momentum going, because it’s not easy to keep it going."
It now remains to be seen how much money Klopp is given to spend, who Liverpool choose to target and how much competition they face from European rivals in pursuit of those targets.
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=640&quality=60)
