Liverpool need to sign a natural holding midfielder to plug the gaping hole in their engine room this summer.
While Ryan Gravenberch has excelled in the role, the Reds would benefit from having a sturdier presence at the base of midfield.
Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has been linked to the club.
Liverpool came close to snapping up the Frenchman before he moved to the Spanish giants, but their interest never dissipated.
They now have a great chance of signing the 26-year-old following an issue in the dressing room with teammate Federico Valverde.
There have been various theories about the start of the brawl, but the most consistent account is that Tchouameni went to shake hands with his teammate, only to be refused.
Valverde started making dangerous tackles, and Tchouameni confronted him about it afterwards.
Madrid have since announced that they will take disciplinary action against both players, which could play into Liverpool’s hands.
Liverpool must swoop for Madrid star
Tchouameni might want out of what has become a toxic environment, and Liverpool must be at the front of the queue for him.
At his best, he is a brilliant midfielder who can impose himself on the game, screening and shielding the defence for others to fly forward.
Former Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti once described him as an ‘important pivot‘.
While he has lost some form due to playing in defence and the club’s managerial merry-go-round, Tchouameni would be a terrific addition to the Liverpool squad.
His presence would allow Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz, and Alexis Mac Allister to shine further up the field.
Liverpool cannot afford to let other interested parties pounce.
