Liverpool have entered talks with Joshua Kimmich to become a superstar replacement for the outgoing Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Alexander-Arnold is nearing the end of his contract with the Reds and is widely expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer. Liverpool still harbour hope that he will stay should they meet two demands but the full-back remains the most likely of the club's out-of-contract trio to leave, ahead of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
Now, it appears as if Liverpool have made the first steps towards admitting that Alexander-Arnold is more out than in, with steps made to replace him with a genuine world-class option.
Joshua Kimmich is the priority target for Liverpool
Writing for Sky Sports, Belgian journalist and transfer expert Sacha Tavolieri has reported that Liverpool are in direct contact with Kimmich's entourage over a move resembling musical chairs to replace their outgoing right-back.
Ranked at no.4 in FourFourTwo's list of the best right-backs in the world right now, the German is proficient in midfield, too, and has played both positions over the last couple of years for club and country.
Intriguingly though, Kimmich is in the exact same boat as Alexander-Arnold. The Bayern Munich star is out of contract at the end of the season, weighing up his future away from his home country.
Tavolieri writes that Liverpool are ready to spend up to 25 million to secure the 29-year-old's signature and compensate Die Roten for losing the player for free in mere months.
Bayern are in talks with Kimmich to remain at the Allianz Arena, as Liverpool are with Alexander-Arnold. Should Arne Slot's side manage to retain their talismanic playmaker and tie up Kimmich, too, there's a chance that the latter could feature in midfield for the Reds.
In FourFourTwo's view, this is certainly a move that has legs, since Kimmich is one of the few players who can actually replace Alexander-Arnold stylistically and in terms of experience at the top level.
It can't be ruled out, however, that the German will decide on his next move based on who offers him minutes as a No.6, given that he has looked to make the transition to become a midfielder in recent seasons.
Kimmich is valued at 50m by Transfermarkt. Liverpool travel to Brentford this weekend when Premier League action returns.
