It's less than three weeks until the 2023 summer transfer window opens its gates and awaits the hubbub of whirring activity as clubs seek to plant the roots of a prosperous season with astute movement in the market.
Liverpool need to do just this, and with a lacklustre season and a forthcoming midfield exodus the need to augment the centre with first-rate additions has never been greater, and Sporting CP star Manuel Ugarte could hold the key to unlocking the squad's full potential.
What's the latest on Manuel Ugarte to Liverpool?
The rumours attached to Ugarte's name have shown no sign of abating over the past several weeks, with Le Parisien (via Sport Witness) declaring that Liverpool are 'ready' to trigger the Uruguayan midfielder's €60m (£52m) release clause.
Competition for his signature is fierce, however, with financial powerhouses Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain also vying for a deal.
The report also claims that Portuguese media state that the player desires to play in the Premier League, and with Chelsea failing to qualify for Europe, Liverpool might be well-placed to steer a deal over the line.
Should Liverpool sign Manuel Ugarte?
It is a testament to Ugarte's snowballing presence for Sporting that he has found himself at the heart of attention from some of Europe's most illustrious outfits, who indeed seem enticed despite his £52m price tag.
Turning 22 last month, Ugarte has been entrusted with the role of anchoring the midfield, playing 47 times across all competitions and earning the tag of "midfield machine" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his feats.
Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are among the centre-midfielders departing Anfield this month, and both have spent their fair share of time in the medical room; signing a replacement with apt quality and a refreshing assurance of reliability is paramount, and Ugarte has missed three games due to injury/illness across the entirety of his career to date, with two absences due to coronavirus.
His fitness strength is partnered by a copper-bottomed will to win, with data-driven site FBref ranking the eight-cap Uruguay international among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 10% for successful take-ons, the top 1% for tackles, the top 3% for interceptions and the top 11% for blocks per 90.
Such superlative skills with the ball at his feet and in prising it away from the opposition are the core of the interest in his name, quite simply, he would fortify Klopp's system with an iron-clad grip, bringing aggression and tenacity to an outfit which has been harangued this season for tactical vulnerability and an inability to stand up against physicality.
Ugarte would eradicate this in a heartbeat. Liverpool's rekindling of the fire in the latter phases of the campaign illustrates the old footballing adage: form is temporary, class is permanent, and seven victories and one draw across the past eight Premier League matches bodes well heading into the new campaign, but Ugarte's skills will only enhance the Reds' prospects of success.
Take, for example, the seasonal emergence of Stefan Bajcetic, the 18-year-old Spanish midfielder who wedged his way into Klopp's plans and dazzled among the dirt, impressing with his intensity and guile in a manner which belied his tender age and inexperience, with his manager hailing him as "exceptional".
The robust enforcer is an energetic and box-crashing midfielder, melding his elegance with the ball with an unrelenting pace that, combined with Ugarte's steely skill set, could craft a dynamic duo to leave competitors bitterly awestruck.
Whether Liverpool will sign Ugarte remains to be seen, but he is a vigorous midfielder with a tested calibre despite still perching in the maiden part of his career, but like Bajcetic, the energy and exuberance could cement Liverpool's foundation for a silver-laden future.