Liverpool had agreed on personal terms with Aurelien Tchouameni but the player has since confirmed a deal to move to Real Madrid this summer, but not all is lost as the club have been linked with a number of potential midfield targets.
It is clear that Jurgen Klopp is looking to bolster his midfield during the transfer window, especially with Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson and James Milner all in their 30s now, so freshening up the centre of the pitch with some younger talent could be a great move for Liverpool.
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One player who has been linked with a move to Anfield is Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips, and it was reported earlier this week that the Reds were negotiating a deal for the player after losing out on Tchouameni.
The England international has been impressing with his form for both club and country over the last couple of seasons with some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League taking a shine to the star as Manchester United and Manchester City are also reported to be keen on securing the midfielder's signature this summer.
Despite struggling with injury issues this season, Phillips has still given glimpses of his talent, strengths and capabilities over his 20 Premier League appearances.
The £60m monster who was hailed as "unbelievable" by Gabby Agbonlahor, has delivered one assist and created one big chance, made 2.7 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and taken 62 touches on average per game, whilst being successful in completing the majority of his dribbles (58%) and winning 4.8 duels per game.
Phillips has even been dubbed the perfect fit for Liverpool in terms of the way he plays by Arsenal legend Perry Groves in an interview with talkSPORT.
Groves claimed: “Kalvin Phillips fits Liverpool perfectly.
“The energy they play with, the closing down, his athleticism, his passing range."
There will likely be big competition to sign Phillips and Liverpool will need to consider if they want to get into a bidding war with their fierce North West rivals for the player which could see whoever signs the player playing over the odds, so FSG will need to decide how desperate they are for him this summer.
Ultimately, the signing would be an ideal fit for Liverpool and a major coup for the club if they could secure a deal for Phillips over their Premier League rivals, but it will of course depend on what FSG are willing to pay for the 26-year-old star, especially with a mega-money move brewing for Darwin Nunez.