Liverpool are weighing up moving for a third midfielder as the next stage of their summer rebuild begins.
Having added Alexis Mac Allister to their ranks at the start of June when his £35m release clause at Brighton & Hove Albion was triggered, the Reds acted quickly to bring in Dominik Szoboszlai last week from RB Leipzig for £60m.
Szoboszlai, who officially joined on Sunday, became the fourth most expensive player of all time at Anfield when his own release terms were met following discussions between Liverpool and Leipzig on Friday.
With two through the door in time for the start of pre-season, the ECHO understands Liverpool are now taking stock ahead of their next move as the club's recruitment team sketch out plans for the remainder of the transfer window.
A third midfielder is still a possibility despite the additions of Mac Allister of Szobozslai as the Reds look to replenish the options following the end-of-season exits of James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita.
READ MORE: Liverpool private theory over Jude Bellingham may be right after £95m response
Southampton's Romeo Lavia is under consideration after the 19-year-old's excellent individual campaign on the south coast, with the recently-relegated Saints believed to be looking for around £40m for the Belgium international.
Manchester City have a clause that allows them to bring the midfielder back to the Etihad but those terms aren't active for another 12 months. It is understood the club have monitored Lavia for some time and could find themselves with something of a free run at the midfielder should they make their move in the coming weeks.
With Arsenal wrapping up a deal worth an eye-watering £105m for West Ham United captain Declan Rice, Manchester City focusing their efforts on RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol having already brought in Mateo Kovacic and Chelsea still looking to offload several from their bloated squad, the Reds might view themselves as front-runners should they make their move.
It's understood that Liverpool's long-standing interest in OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram remains unchanged at this stage as those in the recruitment department decide on the next course of action.
However, despite Thuram's list of admirers inside the corridors of power at Anfield there has been no formal move following France's exit at the Under-21 European Championships on Sunday. The pursuit of a more defensive-minded midfielder could feature higher on the agenda following the exciting additions of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai.
The deal for Szoboszlai has ended interest in Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga. The Spain Under-21 international is an attacking, goalscoring midfielder capable of operating on the right side of a midfield three, which is a position that has been filled by the Hungary captain's move from Leipzig.
Liverpool are still open to offers for defender Nat Phillips meanwhile as Leeds United and Feyenoord become the latest to emerge as interested parties in the centre-back.
Phillips has been in the shop window for a number of years at Anfield and has been courted by the likes of Bournemouth, Watford and Burnley during that time, as well as a string of other clubs.
Liverpool had been anticipating offers for Phillips 12 months ago and had set an asking price of somewhere between £12m and £15m prior to a pre-season injury to Ibrahima Konate that forced the defender to stay put.
In January, Watford had a £7m bid rejected and with two years still left on a contract signed in 2021, the Reds will be looking for around £10m for Phillips.
