Liverpool's 2023/24 campaign came to an end earlier this month as they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers in Jurgen Klopp's final game at Anfield.
The Reds finished third in the Premier League and the German head coach will now depart, with Dutchman Arne Slot set to come in as his replacement.
Arriving from Feyenoord, the new Liverpool boss will have the upcoming summer transfer window to work with the club to bolster the squad ahead of next season.
He will have ideas on how his team should set up and what profiles are needed in each position to fulfill his tactical plans. It will then be down to the recruitment team to identify suitable targets and ensure that they can get deals over the line for them in the weeks and months to come.
The Reds are reportedly already looking at possible signings to improve their options in the middle of the park, with a Bundesliga midfielder being eyed up.
Liverpool's reported interest in Spanish maestro
Earlier this month, Spanish outlet Marca named Liverpool as one of a number of teams interested in a deal to sign RB Leipzig star Dani Olmo.
The report claimed that a number of top European teams are in pursuit of the right-footed wizard to bolster their respective midfields ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Spanish giants Barcelona are interested in a swoop for the Bundesliga star but do not have the ability to sign him at this moment due to financial restrictions, which provides their rivals with an opportunity to steal a march on them.
Marca stated that Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea are the 'main' Premier League sides that are keen on a move for the Spain international this summer, and they could look to strike quickly to beat Barcelona to the punch.
The report added that he has a fixed price of €60m (£51m) due to a release clause in his current contract with the German side, which means that any of the interested parties can come in and activate that.
However, the clause expires on the 15th July and Olmo wants his future resolved before that date – meaning that the Reds may need to move quickly to get a deal over the line for the midfield maestro.
If Liverpool and Slot can secure the Leipzig star's signature before that date then they could land a big upgrade on current midfielder Curtis Jones.
Curtis Jones' season in numbers for Liverpool
The Reds academy graduate racked up 35 appearances in all competitions for Klopp in the middle of the park, with 23 of those outings coming in the Premier League.
In those 23 matches in the top-flight, the England U21 international failed to nail down a regular place in the starting XI for the German head coach, as his play in and out of possession left a bit to be desired.
Firstly, he contributed with just one goal and one assist in 14 starts as the central midfielder failed to provide a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch, despite having 2.63 xG worth of chances created for him – letting the team down with a huge one-on-one chance in the 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Anfield.
Jones made 0.5 key passes per game on average, the 16th-best average in the squad, and this illustrates how little the Englishman provided in terms of creativity.
Appearances
23
Tackles per game
1.2
Interceptions per game
0.3
Ground duel success rate
44%
Aerial duel success rate
37%
Duels won per game
2.7
As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old dud did not make up for his lack of impact in possession by offering quality or strength off the ball.
He lost the majority of his duels on the ground and in the air in the Premier League and rarely made tackles and interceptions to win the ball back for his team.
Overall, the young midfielder has not done enough at either end of the pitch to suggest that he has what it takes to be a crucial player for Slot next season, although the new manager coming in may provide him with a fresh slate to showcase a better version of himself.
The signing of Olmo, though, could further limit Jones' time on the pitch as the Leipzig star would come in as an upgrade on the former academy whiz, if he can adapt to the Premier League.
Why Dani Olmo would be an upgrade on Curtis Jones
The 26-year-old ace enjoyed an excellent season in the Bundesliga with the German side and could offer more to the Slot in the middle of the park than the English youngster.
Firstly, Olmo ranks within the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Men's Big 5 Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.36).
This shows that he has been one of the best in his position at creating high-quality chances for his teammates over the last year, whereas Jones has only managed 0.09 xAG per 90 in the same period.
The £51m-rated star could, therefore, offer significantly more as a creative presence in midfield, as he has proven his ability to split open opposition defences to create great chances for his teammates on a regular basis.
Appearances
21
23
xG
3.34
2.63
Goals/assists
4/5
1/1
Big chances created
8
0
Key passes per game
1.5
0.5
As you can see in the table above, the Spanish star could also be a bigger goal threat for the Reds, with four goals from 3.34 xG compared to Jones' dreadful return of one from 2.63 xG.
These statistics show that Olmo, who U23 scout Antonio Mango once hailed as "underrated" and a "baller", would come in as a big upgrade on the Liverpool dud in possession, by offering far more as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
The Spaniard also won more duels (4.1 to 2.7) and won a higher percentage of his battles (44% to 43%), which suggests that there is not a great deal between them off the ball.
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That makes their work in possession the deciding factor between them and Olmo is significantly superior in that regard, which is why he would be a big upgrade for Liverpool.