Andoni Iraola has requested Liverpool to sign an exciting Spanish midfielder.
Julian Ward has ushered in Liverpool’s new era without making too much noise. There has been no grand announcement or big fanfare surrounding his return to the sporting director role. Instead, there is a sense of uncertainty around Anfield, with supporters still trying to figure out exactly where the club is heading.
At the moment, nobody really knows what the plan is. Will Ward continue building on the foundations Richard Hughes laid down, or will he look to take Liverpool in a completely different direction?
That could even mean making some difficult decisions over players Hughes brought to the club, with Florian Wirtz potentially among those under the spotlight.
Could Liverpool actually replace Wirtz?
It would certainly be a bold move, especially considering the money Liverpool invested in the German. But football is a ruthless business, and sometimes you have to accept that things haven't worked out as planned.
The truth is that it's probably not the club's priority.
Liverpool's recent recruitment has left plenty to be desired. The club have spent enormous sums of money, yet there are still glaring holes in the squad and questions over whether certain signings are the right fit. That's not sustainable, and Ward needs to find a way to address those problems.
The Reds cannot keep throwing more than £100m at individual players and hoping they arrive as the finished article. Recruitment has to be smarter, more strategic and focused on building a balanced squad rather than simply chasing the biggest names.
Why Andoni Iraola wants Fermin Lopez at Liverpool
Ward has an opportunity to reset things at Anfield.
Supporters will want to see a clear vision, better recruitment and a squad that actually makes sense. Whatever direction he chooses, something has to change.
Liverpool simply cannot afford to keep making the same expensive mistakes.
Of course, Iraola is going to have his say as well. According to El Nacional in Spain, the Liverpool head-coach has already made a request.
He wants Liverpool to sign Fermin Lopez. The report claims it would take €140m for Barcelona to accept an offer for Lopez and that Iraola has lost patience with Wirtz and is convinced the Spanish international would settle a lot easier at Liverpool.
All of this is interesting. However, surely spending another £100m to replace a £100m player who hasn't worked out is not the wisest way to splash the cash?