It really is remarkable how quickly things can change in football.At the start of this season, had you canvassed opinion on the strength and depth of Liverpool’s squad, the idea of needing a new centre-back or two would have been swiftly dismissed.

Six months on, though, the landscape has shifted considerably.

New midfielders, quite rightly, are top of the Reds’ agenda heading into the summer, but defensive reinforcements should not be far behind if the club is serious about righting the wrongs of this most challenging of campaigns.

The struggles of Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, in particular, have exposed the fragilities in Jurgen Klopp’s backline. And with Virgil van Dijk’s form having dropped below its usual impeccable standards, and with Ibrahima Konate beset by fitness issues, what was a strength last season has become a weakness this time around...