Aside from Sunday's 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City, Liverpool have made a relatively positive start to the campaign, although they appear to be visibly short of being genuine contenders to win the Premier League or Champions League right now.

There are certainly positions in this Liverpool team where they don't look strong enough, and especially when they are without players through injury and suspension.

One obvious area is in their attack, where Lewis Koumas had to start up top against City with Alexander Isak injured and Hugo Ekitike still a long-term absentee after rupturing his Achilles in April.

There are question marks over the quality and depth of the full-back positions, while changes may need to be made by new sporting director Julian Ward in 2027 in the goalkeeping and centre-back positions.

The futures of Alisson and Virgil van Dijk remain in doubt with the contracts of both players due to expire at the end of the season, and no breakthrough in terms of new deals for either player.

One position where a new addition is guaranteed is in central midfield, where the Reds look short despite the impressive emergence of Trey Nyoni as a first-team player this season.

The 19-year-old is clearly good with big potential, but it would surely be risky to rely on him as a regular starter at this point.

Alongside him, Dominik Szoboszlai continues to be impressive but is currently injured, while Ryan Gravenberch has found starts hard to come by under Iraola this term.

The Dutchman did start against City and put in an impressive display before his second-half red card, which ultimately changed the course of the game in the visitors' favour.

Meanwhile, Alexis Mac Allister recently raised doubts over his own future after suggesting the club told him they were unable to offer him a new contract even though both Szoboszlai and Gravenberch both penned new long-term deals in 2026.

GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Ben Jacobs previously revealed that the club hold interest in Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, AS Roma's Manu Kone, and AS Monaco's Lamine Camara ahead of the summer.

TEAMtalk also revealed previously that the club has been in contact with the camp of Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, even though he only recently committed his future to the LaLiga giants.

Ward Would be Landing World-Class Midfielder

If Ward could pull off the signing of Tchouameni in 2027, it would have to be seen as a huge transfer coup.

Having signed a new contract to stay at the Bernabeu in the summer, it was suggested by TEAMtalk that the player could consider his future if he was struggling to establish himself as a starter under Jose Mourinho this term.

Since then, the France international has started both of their matches against Villarreal and AS Roma, although Real did concede three times when Tchouameni was on the pitch in the latter.

What is clear is that the 26-year-old has huge pedigree, racking up 50 caps for his country and recently making his 200th appearance for Real Madrid.

You don't achieve that unless you are a special player, and former teammate Chema Andres indeed labelled him as the 'best defensive midfielder in the world'.

Some Liverpool fans may feel that the club never effectively replaced Fabinho following his exit in 2023, even if Gravenberch was a monster in the club's Premier League title-winning campaign in 2024-25.

Tchouameni would without question do that. He is a midfield destroyer just like the Brazilian is, but he is great on the ball and has made a difference in the final third for Real too.

Tchouameni is an elite midfielder who is one of the best in his position in the whole of Europe, and the world, and he would give the Liverpool engine room a new-found solidity that has been much-needed at times.

Prising him away from the Bernabeu appears to be a tough ask though, and moves for any of Scott, Camara or Kone look more likely as things stand, unless the Frenchman's situation at Real dramatically changes.