It's been a strange summer or sorts at Liverpool, although an understandable one.

Most would expect the European champions to build on their squad, taking advantage of their status to sign some top players.

Liverpool, however, have just stuck with what they've got, only adding Sepp van den Berg to the youth setup.

Instead, Jurgen Klopp is relying on 'new' players such as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Rhian Brewster, and Adam Lallana.

Basically, players already at the club who were prevented from making an impact last season by injuries.

It makes a lot of sense, in theory; Liverpool put up a 97-point league campaign and won the Champions League without them - surely they'll achieve more with them around?

But while it's sensible to keep the closely-knit group together, it has prevented us from seeing what would have been one of the most exciting signings of the window.

According to L'Equipe, Liverpool were close to signing ex-Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery this summer.

Klopp is apparently a big fan of the Frenchman, like everyone else, and thought he'd be a fine addition to his squad.

The problem is that there haven't been many outgoings at Anfield this summer, either, and so Liverpool couldn't justify Ribery's arrival.

It would have been an incredibly fun signing, with Ribery rotating on the left-wing with Sadio Mane.

We may even have seen a front four of Ribery, Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Mohamed Salah - and that's a trophy-winning quartet if you've ever seen one.

Instead, Ribery remains without a club and we won't see him turning out at Anfield.

Which really is a shame.