After a largely miserable season, Liverpool have wasted no time in making sure they aren't caught short again.
Indeed, a deal to sign RB Leipzig's Ibrahima Konate has already been wrapped up as Jurgen Klopp bolsters his defensive ranks following a hugely disappointing defence of their Premier League title, albeit one arguably caused by the number of injuries the Merseyside giants suffered.
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Having splashed a reported £36m on the 22-year-old central defender, the make-up of Liverpool's backline next season will be interesting. Clearly a priority target for the club this summer given how quickly he's been signed, we can surely expect at least one big name to drop out.
Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are due to return from injury, along with Joel Matip, while it's difficult to imagine Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams getting as much first-team action next season, even despite their excellent contributions during the closing stages of the season just gone.
With that in mind, GIVEMESPORT writers Jonathan Gorrie, Sam Brookes, Joshua Cole and Jack Saville have given their verdicts on who should drop out.
Jonathan Gorrie
It's time to say goodbye to Joel Matip.
While not always as constant a presence in the backline compared to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, Matip just cannot be relied upon.
That's not a slight on his quality but, having missed 36 games this season, as well as 28 in the title-winning campaign the year before that, Klopp cannot keep him on as the only elite back-up to his starting pair.
Perhaps one day, Konate will command more of a starting berth but, while he beds into life at Liverpool, deploying him in the Matip role as quality cover looks the smartest option, particularly as Gomez and van Dijk make their returns.
With Konate in the squad and Phillips also proving he's adequate enough to rely on in a worst-case scenario, they do not have to rush their big stars back.
Sam Brookes
"Time for Rhys Williams to drop back down to the Under 23s for now.
"He has done a fine job covering for Liverpool’s mountain of injuries at the back this season, and playing on despite suffering a nasty cut to the face against Crystal Palace on the final day showed that he is passionate about making it at this level.
"Indeed, he could break back into the first-team given time, but it is important to remember that he is still only 20. He is still a little raw, and would benefit from dropping back down to his own age group before aiming for more opportunities in Jurgen Klopp’s side 12-18 months down the line.
"Nat Phillips and Joe Gomez have the edge in experience right now, so they should get the nod to battle with Konate and Joel Matip to play alongside Virgil van Dijk next season."
Joshua Cole
“Whilst this could turn out to be a shrewd move by Liverpool, they will need to be patient with the defender as it could take him some time to adapt to life in the Premier League.
“Although the Reds are set to pay a sizeable fee for the Frenchman, it would be somewhat of a surprise if he replaced Joe Gomez in the club’s strongest line-up as the England international has formed a fruitful partnership with Virgil van Dijk in recent years.
“Without this duo last season, Liverpool were only able to 12 clean-sheets in 38 league games as a host of different players featured at centre-back.
“Providing that Gomez and van Dijk both make full recoveries from their respective injuries, Konate could be used by Liverpool as a rotation player next season and thus move ahead of Nat Phillips in the pecking order at Anfield.”
Jack Saville
"In terms of Liverpool’s pecking order, it’s Joe Gomez who will suffer most dearly from Ibrahima Konate’s arrival.
"On paper, the 24-year-old is the Reds’ best partner for Virgil van Dijk but Konate’s arrival could change all that. The Reds won’t be spending £36m on a player to occupy a place on the substitutes bench, and one would imagine that Konate, 22, is being viewed as a long-term option at the heart of the club’s defensive unit.
"Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams will naturally be forced down the pecking order by Konate, but it’s Gomez’s place in the starting XI that’s most severely under threat ahead of the towering Frenchman’s arrival."