£100m statement, Salah replacement, attacking wildcard - Liverpool's most realistic transfer

It's a new era at Liverpool this summer with Richard Hughes and Arne Slot at the helm.

And with the Reds new Director of Football and manager reporting directly into Michael Edwards, it'll be interesting to see what moves they make as they look to follow a promising season, in what is Jurgen Klopp's final campaign.

New signings will be necessary, but who could Liverpool realistically recruit this summer? Our writers have their say:

Paul Gorst: The need for a specialist, defensive-minded midfielder might not be as great as it was last summer for Liverpool, but they could still a world-class operator in the position this summer for my money.

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The problem is, though, there are few out there who are showing the signs of potential that can see them develop into one. And with this being a piece of fantasy football, of sorts, no-one wants to spend their time dreaming of a midfield destroyer, do they? No matter how much it might help the Liverpool squad in real life.

Instead of a search for a No.6, I'm overlooking the considerable claims from the West Ham duo of Mohammed Kudus (plays in Mo Salah's position) and Lucas Paqueta (alleged betting breaches loom large) and plumping for Eberechi Eze at Crystal Palace.

The attacking midfielder glides with the ball and is a joy to watch when in full flow and while he has had some injury issues at Palace, he could give the Reds an added dimension as a ball carrier in the final third from both wide and central areas.

Eze has been attracting interest of Chelsea and signed a new contract last summer but interest from Liverpool could see Palace relent, at the right price. He go up another level at Anfield.

Theo Squires: Liverpool will surely sign a new centre-back this summer, with Joel Matip out of contract and the out-of-form Ibrahima Konate hardly the most reliable when it comes to his injury past.

Fortunately, there are a number of suitable players available, with the likes of Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo available on a free transfer. So too is AFC Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly, who the Reds have liked the look of in the past and sporting director Richard Hughes already knows very well. Meanwhile, links with Feyenoord's Lutsharel Geertruida are inevitable ahead of Arne Slot's appointment at Anfield.

But, let's face it. Even considering the Reds' lack of clean sheets this season, defending is 'boring'. When you talk would-be summer targets, you dream of exciting attacking players who score goals and get bums off seats. West Ham United's Mohammed Kudus is one such player, and one Liverpool should certainly be in pursuit of if Mohamed Salah's Anfield career is nearing an end this summer.

He's enjoyed a great first season in the Premier League and, you'd imagine, is a player that won't be at the London Stadium for long. With a long-term replacement needed for Salah regardless, and it already shaping up to be a summer of change at West Ham, why not test the Hammers' resolve when it comes to one of their most exciting players.

Joe Rimmer: Liverpool enter a new era this summer and you can be sure that transfer speculation will rage once Arne Slot is presented as the new manager.

Expect lots of links to Eredivisie players, but Slot will benefit from a real show of ambition from FSG in the transfer market.

And while Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes will be looking for players with great value, we've seen with the signings of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker that Liverpool will also pay big money if they are convinced that the transfer can add something special to the current team.

And one player who can do that - and might well be attainable this summer - is Bruno Guimaraes.

The Brazilian has a £100m release clause in his Newcastle contract and while I wouldn't expect Liverpool to want to go that high, the Magpies' financial fair play restrictions might bring about the need to strike a deal.

In doing so, Liverpool wouldn't just be signing one of the Premier League's brightest lights in the prime of his career - and Bruno's numbers compare well to any other leading player on these shores - they would also send a message that while ambitious, Newcastle's best players can still be cherry picked by a bigger club.

Expect Arsenal to test their resolve with a similar move for Alexander Isak. I'd love to see Liverpool flex their muscles and back Slot with one of the very best.