Summary Liverpool could raid the Eredivisie in a repeat of their Cody Gakpo masterclass. The player in question is a much-needed midfielder and could cost a bargain £32m. He was once one of the best players in the French top-flight.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp needs to sign a new midfielder this month following the sales of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to Saudi Arabian sides.
James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also all left the club upon the expiry of their contracts in June while Fabio Carvalho has joined German side RB Leipzig on loan.
Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have signed, two very exciting midfield signings, but following the failure to sign Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia – losing out on both to Chelsea – desperation mode is seeping in.
Who are Liverpool going to sign?
As recently reported by ESPN, Liverpool could be poised to meet PSV Eindhoven star Ibrahim Sangare's £32m release clause after missing out on their primary targets.
However, they will face fierce competition with Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain also interested, as per the report.
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Liverpool drew their Premier League season opener against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, but the absence of a natural No. 6 was alarming, with The Athletic's James Pearce saying, "the lack of both control and protection in front of the back line was glaring."
How good is Ibrahim Sangare?
The acquisition of a sturdy, assiduous defensive midfielder may well have a transformative effect on Liverpool's midfield.
It's been a problem for some time, but they say those who live near a waterfall often fail to hear its surge, and now the dereliction of incisive action could plunge the Merseyside outfit into murky waters once more.
Sangare, aged 25, was once hailed as "one of Ligue 1's best midfielders" by talent scout Jacek Kulig before signing for PSV from Toulouse for €9m (£8m) in 2020, playing 136 matches, scoring 14 goals and supplying ten assists.
If he is to sign for the Anfield side, it would be the second time Klopp has raided the Boeren this year, having completed the £35m signing of dynamic forward Cody Gakpo in January.
Gakpo has plundered seven goals from 27 matches for the Reds and ranks among the top 11% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 10% for progressive passes and the top 12% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, leaving Fabrizio Romano heralding him as "something special".
Swooping for another highly-rated PSV talent could pay dividends for Klopp's team, especially considering that Sangare fits the profile and is a "dangerous" force in the centre, as stated by analyst Aad de Mos.
He ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Men's Next Eight divisions for goals, the top 18% for passes attempted, the top 13% for successful take-ons, the top 18% for blocks, the top 12% for clearances and the top 14% for aerials won per 90.
This is an impressive and all-encompassing skill set and something that Liverpool would immensely benefit from, having such a ubiquitous and tenacious force in the middle.
Gakpo and Sangare's link-up could also prove a success story for Liverpool, with Gakpo also ranking among the top 1% of positional peers for tackles per 90, which alludes to a workrate that could ease Sangare's workload and consequently improve the collective efforts and cohesion of the squad.
There is understandably some malaise painted across the Liverpool support right now, but with over two weeks until the closing of the summer transfer window, technical director Jorg Schmadkte has time to ensure a successful finish to the summer plans is achieved.
And given the relative astuteness of Sangare's price tag, his evenly-spread skills and the rival interest from top European outfits such as Bayern and PSG, it might not be a bad move to make at all.