Editor’s Column: World Cup stars Liverpool are looking at, including the brilliant Enzo Fernandez | OneFootball

There’s been some good games and some bad games in Qatar. There’s been good players and bad players.

Until the knockout stages, I struggle to concentrate on many of these games without Liverpool stars in – and can’t wait until the Reds are back!

Perhaps in January, the options at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal will be strengthened – and there’s a host of World Cup stars who have been linked.

Here’s a rundown of who, where and what they could potentially offer Liverpool’s second half of the season and beyond.

Mohammed Kudus – Ghana and Ajax

Remember that lad who scored a worldy against us in the Champions League Group Stages? Kudus is an exciting attacker who has hit double figures already this season in the Netherlands. For Ghana, he’s bagged two World Cup goals, highlighting his potential to the rest of the world.

De Telegraaf‘s Mike Verweij says Liverpool are among a number of clubs considering bidding for the striker, who at 22, seems the perfect age for our rebuild up top.

Kudus can play up front, in a withdrawn role or on the flank. His versatility will naturally appeal to Klopp and Pep Lijnders, although he’s not actually an automatic starter for his club yet.

Enzo Fernandez – Argentina and Benfica

The prodigal midfielder was signed for just €10m in the summer. Benfica are set to make a monstrous profit on him at the end of this season – he’s been that good.

Fernandez came on against Mexico and changed the game, assisting Lionel Messi and then scoring a beautiful curler himself.

Why didn’t Liverpool snap him up before his value skyrocketed? Frustrating.

Sky Sports‘ Melissa Reddy said previously that he’s on a long list of midfielders we like. He can run a game, tackle and thread passes. He’s like a slightly less aesthetically pleasing Thiago, but hopefully less injured.

Moises Caicedo – Ecuador and Brighton

Sky Sports also says the Brighton man is on our radar. He’s full of energy and loves to battle and press – attributes our midfield is crying out for.

Sadly, it’s another case of a player it would have been really good for us to sign before Brighton did, when he was unknown and cheap. The Seagulls can now put a Premier League tax on him and he could end up costing anything close to £75m, as a guess.

We often hear murmurings that there simply aren’t the available players out there who could improve us. There are, and Fernandez and Caicedo prove that.

Jude Bellingham – England and Borussia Dortmund

Florian Plettenberg says that Liverpool have put in plenty of groundwork for the wonderkid but that other behemoth clubs are obviously also interested.

The issue with Bellingham is the price-tag is going to be ridiculous. Could we not improve the team better by buying three midfielders with the money it would cost to prise the Englishman from Germany?

It depends how much Liverpool want him. It almost feels like our recruitment has been on hold in midfield just so we can acquire him, so you’d think the club is ready to go quite big to secure him.

The question of course is how big?

Cody Gakpo – Netherlands and PSV

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Liverpool are heavily scouting the sensation who’s taking this World Cup by storm.

PSV Sporting Director Marcel Brands has mentioned the rumours, too: “Liverpool is a club that always works very specifically. Sometimes they already have players [scouted/identified] for the upcoming season in November… Would they be a good place to send Cody Gakpo in the summer? Yes, that’s right!

Ryan Babel even piled on in a recent article to add field to the fire.

“As a Liverpool fan, I would tell him to go to Liverpool if they make an approach! Arsenal would also be an incredible team for him, with the current manager and the project that they’re building. He has to follow his heart.” the Athletic.

The problem with Gakpo is that he’s a left-winger. We are stacked in that position already. Could he play centrally? He fits into more of a striker role for his country, so perhaps Klopp and Lijnders are cooking up something.