Liverpool's criteria for signing a new midfielder this summer is lengthy, making the number of possible candidates for the role relatively small.
Plenty of boxes need to be ticked: they need to be versatile, durable, capable of covering large areas of ground, good at pressing, progressive on the ball, and, crucially, available for a transfer fee and wage packet that fits into the current Liverpool model.
Borussia Monchengladbach star Florian Neuhaus is one who has been on their radar, with the 24-year-old expected to depart his current side either this summer or next.
He ticks most, if not all, of those boxes, and with six goals and six assists to his name in 33 Bundesliga appearances last season, has that capability too.
While his release clause has passed, the feeling in Germany is that Liverpool could still get him for a reasonable fee of around £35m.
The Reds, though, are not his only option, as Bundesliga journalist Constantin Eckner outlined on a special podcast exclusively for members of the Blood Red Club.
"Bayern Munich have the money," Eckner said. "But they will not do anything risky in terms of finances and they are not starving for talent, so they don't want to sign anyone this summer.
"But they have approached Neuhaus for maybe signing him next summer for €35-40m. Unless a club comes with €45-50m for him this summer then Gladbach won't budge.
"He is not set on joining one particular club and his contract runs until 2024.
"When there are talks about possible departures from Gladbach, it is more Alassane Plea, the centre forward, or Matthias Ginter, the centre-back.
"And there is also Denis Zakaria, another central midfielder, though there is not one particular club really interested in him - a year or so Manchester United and Man City, but not now.
"But Zakaria wants to leave and they are not interested in letting Neuhaus go as well if Zakaria goes this summer."
Neuhaus and his father are big Bayern Munich supporters, and that could swing the deal in their favour, though Liverpool also have a big appeal in their manager, Jurgen Klopp.
Playing for a couple of seasons under Klopp, were Neuhaus to join Liverpool next summer, could be a decisive factor.
"When Klopp is interested in certain German players, he is a big appeal," Eckner explained.
"He knows everyone at the top level and people like to talk to him because he is a nice guy!"
If Neuhaus is the one that Liverpool settle on, be it this summer or next, Liverpool could well have that advantage up their sleeve.
For now, though, only one thing is a certainty: Liverpool's need to add to their midfield ranks either this summer or next.
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