There are 50 days left until Jurgen Klopp leads his Liverpool squad from the dugout for the final time, with the end of an illustrious era now looming ominously close.
Sure, there's plenty to play for, and while Liverpool exited the FA Cup in dramatic circumstances against Manchester United before the international break, silverware beckons in the Premier League and Europa League.
But this does not detract from the poignancy that the German's near exit leaves, like a cloud of mist enveloping Anfield. Things just won't be the same; a piece will be missing and a sense of loss will pervade the prestigious Premier League club.
It's remarkable that the Reds have fought so valiantly despite a catalogue of injuries, but if Klopp's side are to prevail in the weeks to come, Trent Alexander-Arnold's return to fitness will be vital.
Why Trent Alexander-Arnold is so influential for Liverpool
Alexander-Arnold was promoted to Liverpool's vice-captain last summer after the summer exits of Jordan Henderson and James Milner, and he produced some scintillating football in the first half of the 2023/24 campaign, scoring two goals and supplying ten assists, though he has spent much of 2024 sidelined with a knee ligament injury.
The England international is one of the most creative and influential players in the world and his elite skills have led to a shift into midfield from right-back, something of a regular occurrence when Klopp's Liverpool hold possession, to maximise his ball-playing ability.
As per FBref, the 25-year-old ranks among the top 16% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 1% for assists, shot-creating actions and passes attempted, the top 2% for progressive passes, the top 9% for successful take-ons and the top 13% for interceptions per 90, showcasing his masterful faculty on the ball.
In the Premier League this season, as per Sofascore, Alexander-Arnold has created 13 big chances for his teammates despite only starting 19 fixtures, averaging 2.5 key passes, 1.3 tackles, 6.6 ball recoveries and 1.6 clearances per game and succeeding with 60% of his attempted dribbles.
Alexander-Arnold's importance to Liverpool's senior set-up is discernible to any who watches Klopp's team strut its stuff; the scouse-born phenomenon's singular style is simply unmatched in the Premier League from any playing in the backline.
As such, his significance is reflected in his market value, with his £48m market price – as per Football Transfers' player valuation model – surpassing every defender in the Premier League barring Manchester City duo Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol.
In today's bloated transfer market, however, it's patently obvious that Alexander-Arnold would garner a far higher fee than this, with those over at Totally Money showcasing just how ridiculous figures have reached in the modern game when crunching the numbers and showing Andy Carroll's cost in 2024 money.
Andy Carroll's market value in 2024 money
Liverpool enjoy one of the best-run, efficient systems in the Premier League. While Klopp's tactical set-up and player performance on the pitch have shaped a period of history that has seen a wealth of silverware added to the trophy cabinet, it is the work of those behind the scenes that has enabled this.
It really wasn't always this way, with the dog days of the years preceding Klopp's arrival providing much misery, barring the 2013/14 campaign, where Luis Suarez's incredible striking feats nearly won an unlikely Liverpool side its maiden Premier League title.
Liverpool have a forgotten titan out on loan who could rival Quansah
This ace will be gunning for a place in the Anfield squad after an impressive loan spell
ByAngus Sinclair Mar 23, 2024
Suarez signed from Ajax for around £23m back in January 2011 in what looked to be a promising move, but he wasn't the most expensive centre-forward to make the move to Liverpool that month, with Carroll arriving weeks earlier.
According to Totally Money, Liverpool would have had to have paid a staggering sum of £102m to secure Carroll's signature from Newcastle United back in 2011, obliterating what was already a staggering sum for the marksman.
Totally Money have taken the 100 most expensive transfers of all time across each season since 1992 in Europe's top five leagues. Armed with plenty of historical financial data they have calculated what footballers of yesteryear would be worth in the present day after taking into account the remarkable rate of inflation.
Indeed, Carroll moved to Anfield for a club-record £35m fee back in January 2011 following Fernando Torres' sale to Chelsea, with the 22-year-old having scored 11 goals from 19 Premier League matches for the Magpies that season, before making his lucrative westward move.
Carroll was a talented striker but this was not a great use of money, though Liverpool were desperate after losing Torres and needed to restore the club's spearhead as soon as possible.
And after injuries and a lack of form, Carroll would only chalk up 11 goals from 58 appearances for the Merseyside outfit before being sold to West Ham United in a £15m move in 2013, with Gary Lineker commenting on the "lonely" chapter in the towering forward's career.
Fernando Torres
£52.5m
£145m
Luis Suarez
£73.5m
£132m
Philippe Coutinho
£130.5m (initial)
£132m
Raheem Sterling
£57m
£93m
Xabi Alonso
£31m
£72m
Given that Torres, in yesteryear's money, would have cost a staggering sum for the Stamford Bridge side himself, the cogs might well have meshed together to facilitate such a transfer rotation.
But what cannot be disputed is that Carroll proved to be one of the most dismal decisions made by those with a seat at the Anfield table, having cost a large figure while failing to deliver quite significantly.
Klopp's arrival in 2015 has changed the narrative at Liverpool and such acquisitions are few and far between now. It's a good thing too, it's one that the club will definitely not want to repeat.