Liverpool are already gearing up for a busy transfer window next summer as it is clear the team needs a refresh after a poor start in the Premier League, and a reliable source has revealed a new target that has caught Jurgen Klopp's eye.

What's the latest?

According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool are interested in Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala but it won't be easy to sign him.

Plettenberg tweeted:

"News #Musiala: Based on reports from UK: Yes, #LFC is interested in Musiala. Like any other top club in the world. But a transfer is no topic at this stage. He doesn’t want to leave Bayern and he is not for sale as mentioned by Salihamidzic at Sky. @SkySportDE."

Jude Bellingham alternative

It's no secret that Liverpool and Klopp are huge admirers of Jude Bellingham and the club are reportedly the frontrunner to sign the Borussia Dortmund wonderkid next summer. However, they are joined in a race full of elite European clubs that all want a slice of the midfielder's talent.

Manchester United, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Chelsea are all named as interested parties in the chase to secure Bellingham's next summer and with the price tag set around £131.6m, it would be the deepest FSG has ever reached into their pockets to sign a player.

Virgil van Dijk remains Liverpool's record transfer at £75m which is a lot cheaper than the price reported for the England international, however, if Liverpool want to compete with giants like Man City in the Premier League and Real Madrid in the Champions League, large reinvestment is essential in today's market.

Due to the nature of the competitors vying for Bellingham's signature, signing Musiala as an alternative would not be the worst idea for Liverpool as he is another talented youngster who could offer Liverpool stability and star quality in the centre of the pitch for years to come. That said, he would not come cheap either with CIES valuing the youngster at a whopping £122m.

According to FBRef, the 19-year-old's closest comparable player is indeed Bellingham and it's not hard to see why when you consider his output for the Bundesliga champions.

In just seven league appearances this season, Musiala has scored five goals, delivered three assists and created three big chances. He has also made 1.9 tackles a match and is winning 5.9 duels per game, proving that he is a versatile midfielder who is a huge influence in the heart of his team.

Not only that but the £83k-per-week teen who was hailed "exceptional" by Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn, ranks in the top 1% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for dribbles completed, touches, shots on goal and progressive passes received, while ranking in the top 2% for shot creating actions and assists.

Comparatively, Bellingham ranks in the top 4% for dribbles completed, the best 7% for total shots and the top 14% for shot-creating actions.

It would be incredibly difficult to convince Bayern Munich to part with the biggest rising star at their club right now, however, it is proof that Liverpool aren't willing to just put all their eggs in one basket on Bellingham, and are showing ambition to sign midfielders who can make an instant impact at Anfield.