There aren't many players in world football who posses the attributes required to lead the line for teams like Manchester City and Liverpool.
In Roberto Firmino, the Reds have been able to rely on a unique footballer to fulfil the duty in recent years. He meshes productivity, panache and pragmatism seamlessly.
And in Diogo Jota, they appear to have discovered a marvellous successor.
As for City? The specific and strenuous demands Pep Guardiola puts on his players means that they often play without a classic number nine.
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In the summer, when City lost their greatest ever goalscorer in Sergio Aguero and failed to meet Tottenham Hotspur's astronomical asking price for Harry Kane, they decided to press on without signing an alternative to the Argentine.
With City top of the table, it doesn't appear to have had too much of a detrimental impact on them.
One option Guardiola did appear to be ponder at the start of the season was Ferran Torres at the point of the attack.
The Spain international's movement, intelligence and finishing skill caught the eye in the early weeks of 2021-22 and in glimpses last season too.
However, injury means he has been restricted to just seven club appearances this season, the last of them being back in September.
It will also be the last he makes for City.
As that is because Torres' anticipated £46.3m move to Barcelona has now been confirmed.
While City have made a substantial profit on a player they signed for £20.7m, his departure will leave Guardiola even shorter in terms of options at the top end of the pitch.
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As much as the team has thrived without a focal point, the pursuit of Kane and the continued links to some of European football's rising attacking stars - most notably Fiorentina's Dusan Vlahovic and Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland - would suggest Guardiola is unlikely to want to continue for too much longer without having at least the option of a high-class number nine.
If City do enter the market for an attacker, that will be of interest of Liverpool. And interest beyond simply keeping an eye on your rivals' moves in the market.
Divock Origi's contract is set to expire in the summer, while Mohamed Salah and Firmino both have deals that run out at the end of next season.
As such, it's expected the Reds will look to sign a forward ahead of next season. And those same names that have been linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium have also been tied to Anfield in a number of gossip columns.
As much as Liverpool and City have distinctive and different playing styles, Jurgen Klopp and Guardiola both look for similar qualities in their forwards.
Not only does their work on the ball need to be of the highest calibre, there must be a positional appreciation to bring others into play and a willingness to be part of a high-pressure unit off the ball.
Only a handful of these players exist. Only a few clubs possess the financial might and the stature to sign them.
Liverpool and City are two, but Torres' departure will only heighten the competition for these rare commodities.
