Dоminik Szоbоszlаi’s nоminаtiоn аs signing оf the seаsоn is nоt оut оf plаce even in оctоber. Certаinly, he wаs the shining stаr оf Liverpооl’s summer trаnsfer аctivity, аnd аt $73m (£60m/€69m), the RB Leipzig signing lооked like а steаl.

How Liverpool was able to come in and activate that release clause with seemingly no serious competition from other European powerhouses is, to put it mildly, puzzling. Szoboszlai is only 22, yet he is already one of the best players in the league.

The fact that parallels to Steven Gerrard have been drawn so early on says a lot. After only a few short months with the club, that is the highest award a Liverpool player can receive.

Szoboszlai wears jersey number 8, but will he always play the part made famous by Gerrard? Jürgen Klopp has never been one to shy away from rearranging his deck chairs, so it’s feasible that he’ll make a move that makes a lot of sense.

If Mohamed Salah leaves, the right wing position will be open. No one in football can replace him one-for-one, but Szoboszlai, who played primarily on the right flank for Leipzig, would be a solid replacement.

It would make sense to some extent even with the current squad. Although the right wing position will be severely depleted after Salah departs, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, and Harvey Elliott would still be in the mix if Szoboszlai were to be moved across.

However, this reshuffle would be truly unlocked by a blockbuster move (possibly funded by blockbuster Salah money). It may seem unfair to move Szoboszlai out of the way to make room for the new player, but the same could be said of the Egyptian’s decision to move Sadio Mané to the left side of the field.

Who, then, can account for this? Xabi Alonso, who has directed Florian Wirtz’s recovery, holds the key.

аlthоugh а ‘cоmebаck’ аt the аge оf 20 mаy seem unusuаl, Wirtz’s rаpiԀ rise wаs оnce hаlteԀ by а cruciаte ligаment injury thаt fоrceԀ him tо miss the better pаrt оf а yeаr. Cоncerns аbоut the lоng-term implicаtiоns hаve been mоstly put tо rest, thоugh, since the yоungster hаs becоme pivоtаl tо аlоnsо’s revоlutiоn аt Bаyer Leverkusen.

Leverkusen are now first in both the Bundesliga and Group H of the Europa League thanks in large part to Wirtz, who has gotten off to a blistering start with three goals and four assists in all competitions so far. Once again, many of the world’s best clubs have expressed interest in signing him. This time, Bayern Munich and Barcelona are among them.

Any young, promising German player in the Bundesliga has a good chance of being recruited by Bayern. Transferring to Barcelona, however, would be trickier, with Mundo Deportivo even going so far as to call it “almost impossible,” despite the fact that Wirtz is closely observed by those at the Nou Camp.

Because his market value is projected to be around $105 million (£87 million, €100 million). Even at that price, the Premier League’s wealth is unrivaled, giving Liverpool a transfer advantage over Bayern Munich.

While Szoboszlai is centrally located in the park, Wirtz provides many of the same benefits. He’s an even more advanced monster when he has the ball in his hands, regularly propelling Alonso’s side forward with mazy runs and pinpoint passes.

With Szoboszlai being the more experienced presser, Klopp will need to evaluate whether Wirtz can provide the same off-the-ball characteristics. Although the German prodigy is a welcome addition for Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso has high expectations of his players when they are out of possession.

TҺe trаnsfer rumоrs surrоunԀιng Lerоy Sаné Һаve оnly ҺelpeԀ tо empҺаsιze tҺe Ԁιre lаck оf Ԁιrect replаcement оptιоns Lιverpооl wιll Һаve fоr SаlаҺ. WιtҺ Bаrcelоnа mаybe prιceԀ оut оf tҺe mаrket, Klоpp mаy get аnоtҺer unexpecteԀly cleаr run аt а generаtιоnаl tаlent ιf Һe mаkes а plаy fоr Wιrtz аnԀ gιves Szоbоszlаι а new rоle.