Even clubs the size of Liverpool are being forced to adopt a ‘sell before you buy’ approach to the transfer market these days.
The problem is as long as there are no sales, buying becomes nigh-on impossible.
We’re in the middle of July and still Divock Origi, Loris Karius, Neco Williams, Xherdan Shaqiri, Sheyi Ojo and Taiwo Awoniyi remain Liverpool players.
As is Marko Grujic, the Serbia international lodged in limbo despite impressing on loan at Champions League quarter-finalists Porto last season.
Porto boss Sergio Conceicao was desperate to bring Grujic back to the Estadio do Dragao, although a £20 million price tag appeared to have scuppered any lingering hopes of a return to his former stomping ground.
But with Fabrizio Romano reporting Sassuolo have now expressed interest in a man who became the first signing of the Jurgen Klopp era five years ago, a window of opportunity appears to have presented itself to the 2020 Premier League champions.
Could Liverpool swap Grujic for Euro 2020 winner Domenico Berardi?
According to Corriere dello Sport, Domenico Berardi is aware of interest from Liverpool on the back of an excellent Euro 2020 campaign.
A right-footed left-winger in the Riyad Mahrez mould, the Italy international is valued at £43 million – a fee that looked prohibitive for a Liverpool side that has already invested heavily to bring Ibrahima Konate to Anfield.
But if Grujic can be used as a makeweight – a £20 million makeweight at that – those Berardi to Liverpool rumours might not feel quite so fanciful for much longer.
Here’s what some Liverpool fans on Twitter had to say about the situation:
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