Liverpool's pursuit of Alexis Mac Allister has certainly been no secret, and manager Jurgen Klopp is now homing in on his first major signing of the summer.
What's the latest on Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool?
According to Football Insider, Brighton & Hove Albion's imminent capture of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud indicates that Mac Allister's transfer to Liverpool is approaching completion.
These claims are bolstered by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who recently tweeted to say that the Reds have a full agreement on personal details with the Argentine, with a deal expected to be concluded in June.
Arsenal and Chelsea are also keen on a deal for the 24-year-old but with Liverpool moving swiftly and with conviction, the Seagulls ace's signature should be shortly secured, with fees as high as £70m being touted.
How would Mac Allister do at Liverpool?
Mac Allister has enjoyed something of a meteoric rise since arriving in England to sign a deal with Brighton, leaving his homeland and club Argentinos Juniors in 2019, where he made 83 appearances, scored 12 goals and provided nine assists.
Last season, he played an important role for Albion and found success in the Premier League, scoring five times and earning 22 starts as he grew into his skin on the English south coast.
And now, the £50k-per-week star is flourishing with unrelenting might, having scored ten goals from 33 matches in the top-flight and playing an important role in Argentina's monumental triumph in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he was heralded as "sumptuous" by Gary Lineker.
As per FBref, the dynamo ranks among the top 17% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 20% for progressive carries and the top 17% for successful take-ons per 90, indicating he possesses a robust core and is willing to seek out offensive openings through his driving presence on the ball.
This progressive element to his game is something that could bode well for Klopp's stratagems when considering how the midfielder would link up with Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose superlative ball-playing skills from deep could benefit Mac Allister when making surging runs into the final third.
Liverpool's £180k-per-week right-back ranks among the top 12% of positional peers for rate of assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for passes attempted and the top 2% for progressive passes per 90, recently hailed as a "genius" by Goal's Neil Jones.
The 24-year-old's newfound success following a tactical tweak, inverting from his usual marauding up and down the wings to occupy a role within the half-spaces and inflicting creative damage from deep could also be of interest to Mac Allister.
Indeed, he would find Alexander-Arnold in closer proximity and able to pick exquisite passes from behind as he makes his darting runs into danger areas, becoming the Reds' "golden boy" - as he was hailed by Albion-focussed content creator Ryan Adsett.
While Liverpool may not qualify for the Champions League this season, bolstering the middle of the park with Mac Allister will only enhance the intensity and verve of Klopp's outfit, and with Alexander-Arnold returning to his best after a lacklustre campaign, it could be a devastating concoction that truly takes the Liverpudlian to the next level.