Liverpool's summer transfer window was not without its turbulence, but in hindsight, the mass midfield exodus and subsequent influx has reshaped and restored a side in decline.
Last season, the Reds languished and looked pitiful in the face of some heavy adversity, and the fifth-placed Premier League finish was an apt reflection of a miserable campaign.
Jurgen Klopp even admitted that he could face the sack in April should the terrible form seep into the 2023/24 season, having just slumped to a 4-1 defeat against Manchester City; it would have been an ignominious end to an illustrious reign.
Out with the old, in with the new – or so it goes. The likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Fabinho were shown the door and an exciting new clutch of midfield talent has thus far pumped vitality and quality into the squad to uphold Klopp's system.
The impressive start to the campaign hints at prosperity once again, with the last residual vestiges of enervation wiped away, but it could have been that last term's issues were avoided entirely had transfer business in 2022 not been so myopic.
Arthur Melo was the sole midfield signing – a panic buy, on loan, late into the window – despite obvious signs of wear and tear, and the Brazilian flopped big time, playing just 13 minutes of action.
Klopp and co wanted the perfect addition, and after the pursuit of Aurelien Tchouameni ended fruitless, with the Frenchman joining Real Madrid in a €100m (£85m) transfer, an unadventurous end to the market set the Anfield side up for failure.
Liverpool transfer news – Aurelien Tchouameni
Last year, Liverpool were fighting fiercely to secure Tchouameni's services, with Fabrizio Romano even confirming that they were among the frontrunners for the touted talent.
Carlo Ancelotti's side, however, always looked to have the lead in the race and indeed triumphed, compounding Liverpool's upset after defeating them in the Champions League final.
Now, according to Mundo Deportivo, Anfield remain suitors for the 28-cap France international as Arsenal's budding interest grows, though any move would probably be unlikely in the immediate future.
Regardless, for all Liverpool's success in rebuilding the midfield recently, a specialist No. 6 is still required, with Wataru Endo not considered the long-term, first-choice solution – Tchouameni, it seems, would be the dream option.
The stats that show Tchouameni would be a good signing for Liverpool
Having joined the Santiago Bernabeu side for such an expensive fee, Tchouameni perhaps felt the weight of a move to arguably the world's most prestigious club and didn't quite reach his peak.
The £205k-per-week star made 50 appearances across all competitions and won the Copa del Rey, though was benched throughout the Champions League knockout stage and for both semi-final ties against Barcelona in the cup.
Clearly not quite entrusted with a central role in the biggest moments, Tchouameni has made the improvements to his craft this season and now appears indispensable.
Indeed, in La Liga this term – as per Sofascore – the holding midfielder has completed 93% of his passes, made 1.7 tackles and 3.6 ball recoveries per game and won an incredible 80% of his dribbles and 70% of his duels – Manchester City's Rodri, in comparison, has won 63% of his duels in the Premier League this season.
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Player
Club
1
Frenkie de Jong
Barcelona
2
Federico Valverde
Real Madrid
3
Pedri
Barcelona
4
Joshua Kimmich
Bayern Munich
5
Nicolo Barella
Inter Milan
*Statistics sourced via Football Transfers
As per FBref, the 23-year-old ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 7% for passes attempted, the top 5% for interceptions, the top 7% for aerial wins, the top 10% for clearances and the top 18% for tackles per 90.
He's a superlative defensive force in the centre, considered "world-class" by Transfermarkt's Stefan Bienkowski, having now made 14 appearances this season for his high-flying outfit.
He has recently sustained a foot injury that will likely rule him out of action for the remainder of 2023, and whether Madrid can maintain their impressive form in his absence remains to be seen.
It feels like he's getting better with every performance on the pitch, and should Liverpool pull off a transfer that would possibly eclipse anything in recent years, Klopp's team would thrive at the forefront for years to come.
An acquisition could even surpass the impact of Dominik Szoboszlai, who has been positively incredible in the centre of the park since joining the Premier League side this summer.
How Aurelien Tchouameni compares to Szoboszlai
There may have been a few half-hearted claims of the tougher competition in the Premier League after Szoboszlai joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig in a £60m deal in July, but the innate technical ability surpasses Europe's majority.
Last season, the 36-cap Hungary captain had posted ten goals and 13 assists across all competitions for his German side as they claimed a second successive DFB Pokal trophy, with his exploits leading journalist Marcel Moeller to describe him as a "generational talent."
Prolific and potent, energetic and elegant, Szoboszlai has been at the heart of Liverpool's revival and he looks set to dominate at the centre of the Anfield pitch for years to come.
Having scored two goals and assists apiece from 13 matches, the 22-year-old is dazzling under Klopp's wing. He has completed 88% of his passes in the Premier League, averaging 2.5 key passes, 1.4 tackles and 7.6 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore.
For comparison, Tottenham Hotspur's James Maddison – arguably the "signing of the summer", according to TNT pundit Joe Cole – has completed 85% of his passes, creating 3.2 key passes per game but winning 1.4 tackles and 2.2 ball recoveries per outing.
Similar players, Szoboszlai is thriving as the engine in the middle, far more robust and energetic – for all Maddison's might, you would find few Liverpool supporters eager to trade.
It's rather staggering to think that if Merseysiders were to pull off the elusive deal for Tchouameni, Klopp might boast a midfield ace of greater quality than the Hungarian.
Tchouameni is, of course, a different kind of midfielder, and comparisons should not be drawn from the pairs' contrasting metrics, but the presence that the former Monaco man has on the pitch is profound.
His recent injury is a massive blow to Real Madrid's season, with Ancelotti's side undefeated when he has started, and if he was deployed as the Liverpool anchor the club would be propelled to new heights.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig once lauded the player as "out of this world", and a midfield pairing of Tchouameni and Szoboszlai really would have Liverpool soaring in the skies.
Klopp will fervently hope that one day an opportunity to sign the Los Blancos man presents itself, completing his flourishing crop.
