Football Extra's Dream Signings: Liverpool

You could make the case that Liverpool need strengthening in almost all areas across the pitch.

For a side who spent almost £500m last summer, that's hardly a ringing endorsement of the rebuild initiated by sporting director Richard Hughes. It certainly doesn't seem as though they "won" last summer's transfer window, as this writer previously stated anyway.

A new centre back will be sought to replace the suddenly-departed Ibrahima Konate, in addition to Jeremy Jacquet who arrives from Rennes this summer. But speak to most Liverpool fans and they'll tell you the midfield has been an area of weakness that not even the tireless Dominik Szoboszlai could cover up last season.

The middle of the park was once the area that the Reds built their success upon. Jurgen Klopp's high-intensity football was defined by goals at the top end of the pitch but its foundations were laid by the likes of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Georginio Wijnaldum.

It might not be the most imaginative choice with an ex-Bournemouth manager about to take the helm at Anfield but reuniting Andoni Iraola with his standout player on the south coast in Alex Scott would be a wise first step.

Liverpool are clearly looking to move back towards the fast, vertical football which reaped rewards and was thrilling to watch for many years under Klopp.

Scott has the legs to run all day – per Opta, Scott led the league ahead of Szoboszlai for recovery runs back into position, while only five midfielders recorded more sprints last season. He also won back possession of the ball 195 times – a tally bettered in the league by only Eliott Anderson (306) and Andre (212).

All that combined with his clear technical ability, and suddenly a rumoured price tag around £60m seems like it could look a snip in a few years' time.