Liverpool are interested in a transfer for Sheffield United's Sander Berge, and with reinforcements paramount ahead of the business end of the season, his arrival must be pensively considered...
What's the word?
Reports this month, such as from French publication Jeunes Footeux, have stated that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is targeting a move for United midfielder Berge, who has been pivotal in the pursuit of returning to the Premier League at the end of the campaign.
And now, speaking to talkSPORT, Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom has revealed that the Reds and Chelsea are indeed pursuing a move for one of the side's most coveted assets, although he stressed that a concrete bid is yet to have materialised from either outfit.
With both Premier League giants stricken with injuries and consequently falling well below the expected standard of chasing Champions League qualification, fresh faces across multiple departments could be crucial in kickstarting the flagging campaigns, and Berge could indeed be the perfect remedy.
Forget Caicedo
Liverpool have been linked with a move for Brighton & Hove Albion's precocious young talent Moises Caicedo this month, with the 21-year-old Ecuadorian now officially stating his desire to leave the South Coast club following official bids from Arsenal and Chelsea.
His arrival at Anfield would be a brilliant piece of business, but the intricacies of the deal and the money involved might mean the Reds have to take a backseat in the race.
With this in mind, the 24-year-old Berge is a superb alternative; he has been a truly all-encompassing figure when relating to his skill set in the centre, with Sofascore recording his average EFL Championship rating this season at 6.98, with 1.4 shots, 1.2 key passes and 1.2 tackles per game illustrating the desire to embrace every element of the central game.
And having registered four goals and three assists from just 18 starts in the league, the Norwegian gem could transfer his output to Liverpool's more distinguished crop of players to emphatic effect.
Liverpool are currently ninth in the league table after completing half of the season (19 fixtures) and languish a remarkable 21 points behind runaway table-toppers Arsenal, who remarkably finished 23 points behind the Merseyside outfit last year in a stunning shift of fortunes.
Berge, who has been making steady progress in South Yorkshire despite his side's relegation from the top flight in his debut season, would bring robust life into the fold, with team-mate and former Liverpool youngster Rhian Brewster once hailing the box-to-box ace as a "Rolls-Royce", such is the calibre of his performance.
As per FBref, the industrious engine ranks within the top 4% for goals, the top 13% for assists, the top 5% for dribbles completed and the top 2% for touches in the attacking penalty area, when compared to positional peers across Men's Next 8 divisions - the leagues underlying the established European 'big five' divisions.
The above statistics reference a progressive nature with an onus on transitioning from defence to attack, something that Klopp and co could desperately inject into the ranks right now, with a large factor behind Liverpool's current demise the loss of vitality in the centre of the park.
And while Caicedo might be the highlight name that many supporters crave for, Albion's £100m price tag on the player is simply unattainable for the Reds, who have already forked out an initial £35m on forward Cody Gakpo this month.
The £25m Berge represents a far more feasible deal, one that could have an equally resounding effect on a formerly imperious outfit looking to establish control and fluidity once again after observing years of conscientious work evaporate like water in a steam room.