Liverpool have had their worst start to a Premier League season in a decade and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping the second half of the season will bring more consistency from his side when they return to action after the World Cup.

The Reds are currently sixth in the league table picking up just 22 points from a possible 42 so far which has left them 15 points adrift of Arsenal at the top of the tree.

As a result, there is no doubt that the Liverpool boss will be looking for solutions during the Premier League pause to get his team in the best position to not only compete for a Champions League spot but to inspire success in their domestic cup and challenges in Europe ahead.

One way that Klopp could improve the team over the remainder of the campaign is by taking advantage of the opportunity to add high-quality players to his team in the January transfer window.

Indeed, Liverpool are constantly linked to some of the biggest talents in the world and more recently it was speculated that the club could make a move for £63m-valued Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

The midfield at Anfield has been a cause for concern over the last 12 months with some coming close to the end of their contracts, whilst others are reaching the latter stages of their career.

Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Thiago Alcantara are all well into their 30s, whilst Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be free to leave the club in June 2023 - meaning a youthful revolution and rebuild in the centre of the pitch are long overdue.

Klopp could land Thiago 2.0 if the club can secure a deal for De Jong with the pair sharing many similarities to their game over last season.

The 25-year-old and the Liverpool star came close in many attributes including assists delivered (3 v 4), pass completion rate (89.5% v 88.9%) and shot-creating actions per 90 (3.09 v 3.87).

De Jong - who was called an "extraordinary footballer" by Xavi - ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for pass completion and shot-creating actions, two areas Thiago is renowned for thriving with.

Pivotally, he also ranks in the top 15% for dribbles completed, touches and progressive passes received with the Dutchman very much something of a metronome in the middle of the park.

With that being said, the signing of De Jong would be a major coup for Liverpool, adding depth and quality to their midfield and giving them a boost in their challenges ahead this term.