Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has seemingly confirmed that he will oversee a summer spending spree as the Reds prepare to refresh an under-performing team.
The core of the German's team has remained recognisable since the 2017-18 season, but there have been suggestions that Liverpool are in need of a major reshuffle amid a troubled campaign.
A midfield rejig is expected to be high on the Reds' agenda, as Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arthur and James Milner are all poised to leave the club this summer.
Liverpool are expected to fight tooth and nail to bring Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham to the club this summer, even though any deal for the 19-year-old will likely cost in excess of £100m.
When asked by reporters earlier this week if Liverpool needed to spend in the nine figures this summer, Klopp refused to rule out such an approach in the transfer market.
© Reuters
"I am long enough in the business to know how these things develop. It's clear after a specific amount of time that you need to shuffle things and kind of start anew," Klopp told reporters.
"That is completely normal, it happens all the time, it's just rare nowadays that it happens with the same manager because people realise when you sack a manager and bring in a new manager, things change and you readjust the squad. After seven years it was clear that we have to do it."
Liverpool's struggles in the 2022-23 season have been exacerbated by injuries, but Darwin Nunez was fit enough to return from a foot problem for Saturday's clash with Manchester City.
However, the Uruguayan was unable to provide an impact off the bench in a torrid 4-1 defeat, where Mohamed Salah's goal was wiped out before half time by Julian Alvarez.
While City came out a different beast in the second half, Liverpool were incredibly passive by comparison, as the champions struck through Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Ilkay Gundogan in the second 45.
© Reuters
Liverpool have now suffered three losses on the bounce across all competitions, and they dropped to eighth in the table as Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford shook hands on a point apiece in a thrilling 3-3 draw.
Man City midfielder Rodri was arguably fortunate to escape sending off for two bookable offences in the first half, but Klopp admitted after the game that the Reds would likely have lost even with an extra man on the field.
"Could he have gotten a second yellow? Probably. He won't get it now. I don't think we would have won today against 10 men to be honest," Klopp told a press conference.
"I said to the players that there was nothing from my side to say tonight. It's obvious. Tomorrow we will talk about it. We play Tuesday and we should play better. More consistent.
"Four-ish players had an OK game and the rest were somewhere - I don't know. In general - how we lost everything - unacceptable."
Liverpool return to the road to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening.
