Ibrahima Konate is rumoured to be on a shortlist of five defenders Liverpool could target this summer, with the club reportedly willing to pay his £40m release clause.
The centre-back department is the biggest area of need in Jurgen Klopp's squad, and it looks as though the Reds are moving quickly to plug the obvious gap before the summer window actually opens.
Konate would offer a wide range of perks, but his specific impact on restoring and further establishing Liverpool's tactical game will be invaluable.
It should be no surprise that the champions are different this year compared to last; Virgil van Dijk in particular played all 38 matches in 2019/20, but he hasn't made an appearance this season since October.
Joe Gomez and Joel Matip joined him on the treatment table shortly after, with Liverpool 's performances gradually deteriorating over time.
There are various reasons behind the decline since Christmas, but the primary source is still what has happened in the centre of defence.
That problem has impacted Liverpool across a number of areas; a fire started when Van Dijk left the field at Goodison Park, and that fire has spread.
The attack of the team hasn't been the same, offensive and defensive set-pieces haven't been governed as much as before, and Klopp's men have essentially become easy to predict and punish at both ends.
Although some of those issues seem separate to the injuries of Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip, the Dutch defender in particular provided his teammates with an incredible platform to attack.
His one-on-one ability in defence is the strongest in the world - coping when outnumbered and when up against the likes of Kylian Mbappe in space - and with Klopp having a central defender of his calibre, the German was able to apply interesting and effective tactical ideas.
Konate is far from Van Dijk's current level, but he is eight years younger and does tick the one-on-one box.
The Frenchman has been schooled at RB Leipzig since 2017, with the Bundesliga side representing a proactive and attacking playing style similar to that witnessed at Anfield.
"We want to attack the opponent non-stop," Klopp has said. "When we have the ball, when we lose it and when the opposition have it."
Standing around 6-feet 4 inches while still possessing enough pace to keep up with the large majority of forwards, Konate has the skill set to cope in isolation without much support against most of his enemies.
His presence would also prove to be useful from set-pieces, as his physical qualities allow him to dominate battles in the air; he's contested 146 aerial duels in Germany's top-flight since 2018, winning 113 of those which leaves him with a notable success rate of around 77%.
He isn't quite as refined as Van Dijk, Gomez or Matip on the technical side, and his injury record offers enough cause for concern - given that he's started only 10 league matches since the beginning of last season - but the Reds will have certainly factored those aspects into their decision-making.
Ultimately, if Konate does eventually arrive on Merseyside, he will give Klopp the tools to restore Liverpool's former glory by committing an excessive number of bodies forward to put the ball in the net with the assurance that his defence can cope.
Such relentless attacking football can become detrimental at times but with well-rounded and imposing figures such as Konate, Gomez, Van Dijk and Matip sweeping up behind Fabinho, Liverpool's ability to deliver goals while preventing them from being conceded at the opposite end should return.
