Julien then got into the car heading to the Melwood training ground with Klopp and Dein.
As the car rolled smoothly through Liverpool's streets past brick row houses and corner shops, through intersections where pedestrians in red scarves hurried about their business, Dein opened the conversation, jumping straight to the topic that dominated all their thoughts: squad reinforcement.
"Jürgen," he began, pulling out a tablet that displayed various player profiles and statistics, "now that Kevin, Virgil, and Łukasz are all gradually arriving and settling in, we still have a significant gap at left-back."
He swiped through images with his index finger. "It's the last major weakness in the starting eleven. The spine is there, the creativity is there, but we're exposed on that left flank."
He paused, pulling up a photograph of a player in Atlético Madrid's red and white stripes, the image was clearly taken mid-sprint.
"If we want immediate impact—someone who can slot right into the first team without an adjustment period, we could try to pry Filipe Luís from Atlético Madrid. He's experienced at the highest level, Champions League proven, solid at both ends of the pitch. Defensively sound and contributes going forward. He knows what it takes to win trophies, having done it with Simeone's side."
Another swipe brought up a younger face in the Swiss red. "If we're thinking more about the future, building for the long term, Wolfsburg's Ricardo Rodríguez is an excellent option too—young, technically gifted, could develop into a long-term core player. Swiss international, very composed on the ball."
Klopp had been gazing out the window while Dein spoke, watching Liverpool flow past. His fingers tapped a thoughtful, irregular rhythm against his knee,.
Now he turned back to face Dein, one hand coming up to rub at his jaw.
"Filipe Luís is certainly a plug-and-play option, no question," Klopp said, his German accent was giving certain words a distinguishing emphasis. "We could put him in the team tomorrow and he'd perform. He'd understand what we need from him immediately."
He shook his head, though, a small motion of dismissal. "But Atlético probably won't let him go easily—he's vital to Simeone's system, and they're not a selling club unless the price is astronomical. You know Diego—he builds his defensive structure around players like that. They'd quote us something absurd and even then they might refuse. It would be a battle."
Klopp's attention shifted to the image of Rodríguez still glowing on the tablet.
"Rodríguez has good talent, undeniably," he acknowledged, tilting his head as though viewing the player from a different angle might reveal hidden qualities. "But he needs time to adapt to the Premier League's intensity. It's a different game than the Bundesliga—more physical, faster transitions, less time on the ball. We'd be gambling that he could make that adjustment quickly enough to help us this season."
Klopp looked out the window again.
"At right-back," he continued after a moment, "we've got Glen Johnson as the foundation—he knows the league inside and out, knows the club, understands what playing for Liverpool means. Plus Piszczek as backup now, bringing Champions League experience and that Dortmund mentality. That's completely fine, more than adequate. We're covered there."
His voice dropped slightly. "The most urgent issue right now, the position that keeps me awake at night, is left-back. We're too vulnerable there. Every team we face knows it and exploits it. It's our Achilles heel, and in a title race, you can't afford to have a conspicuous weakness like that."
Julien, who had been listening quietly while watching the Liverpool streets flow past absorbing the conversation suddenly interjected.
"Jürgen, David," he said, leaning forward slightly so both men could hear him clearly, his tone was serious and careful. "If you're considering young players with potential, I have two names I'd like to recommend."
Both Klopp and Dein turned their heads with evident interest, Klopp's eyebrows were raising slightly.
"One is Luke Shaw from Southampton," Julien continued. "The other is Andrew Robertson from Dundee United. Both have exceptional running ability—the kind of engine you need in the modern fullback role—and good defensive coverage. Their positioning is sound. And they can both contribute to attacks, either through overlapping runs or quality delivery from wide areas."
The light turned green and the car moved forward, but Julien had their complete attention now. He gathered his thoughts, then continued.
"Especially Robertson, even though he's not well-known right now, hasn't made headlines or appeared in the mainstream conversation about top prospects, his mental attributes are outstanding. I mean truly exceptional, beyond his years."
Julien leaned forward slightly now to emphasize his points. "He's aggressive in challenges without being reckless, reads the game well and never drops the ball at crucial moments.
He's a player with real tenacity, genuine mental strength. I noticed them both while watching matches on my own time, studying different systems, seeing how various managers set up their defenses. And we've actually faced Luke Shaw in competition when we played Southampton. He's got serious talent. You could see it in how he handled our attacks."
A hint of approval flashed in Klopp's eyes, accompanied by a smile. He nodded slowly, appreciatively. "I'm familiar with those names, actually. Both are among the best young players in their positions in Britain."
Dein chimed in, already making notes on his tablet.
"The advantage with young players is their moldability—they haven't developed bad habits yet, and they're hungry to prove themselves. Plus, the transfer costs are relatively manageable compared to established stars.
"The advantage with young players is their moldability—they haven't developed bad habits yet, haven't been ruined by poor coaching or wrong systems. And they're hungry to prove themselves, desperate for the opportunity to step up to a big club. That hunger can be invaluable."
He looked up now, making eye contact with both Klopp and Julien in turn. "Plus, the transfer costs are relatively manageable compared to well-known stars. We won't get into a bidding war with the wealthiest clubs—or if we do, it'll be millions rather than tens of millions. And we can afford to be more patient with their integration into the team, give them time to develop and adjust."
Dein's expression turned thoughtful. "I'll have our scouting department look into these two players immediately, get comprehensive reports on both. See if there's a realistic possibility of bringing one or both of them in before the window closes. The Scottish league is negotiable—Dundee United would probably sell for the right price. Southampton will be trickier with Shaw, especially if the London clubs are interested, but nothing's impossible."
Having received positive responses and seeing his recommendations taken seriously rather than dismissed, Julien said no more and settled back into his seat. He'd planted the seeds; now they would grow or wither on their own merits.
Klopp and Dein continued their discussion into deeper analysis—comparing player abilities in detail and discussed transfer costs and wage structures while exploring tactical compatibility with Liverpool's system and how different players might fit into Klopp's pressing approach.
Julien's thoughts, meanwhile, had drifted away from the specifics of individual transfers, taking a broader view of the current squad composition and what it meant for Liverpool's ambitions. His mind assembled the pieces like a puzzle, seeing the whole picture forming.
In the attacking midfield and forward positions, they had himself, De Bruyne, Suárez, Sturridge, Sterling, Coutinho—a collection of talent where creativity and finishing ability were both more than sufficient. Goals wouldn't be a problem. They had the firepower to hurt anyone, to break down any defense on their day.
In central midfield, the foundation looked equally solid. Henderson's tireless running, that engine that never quit, covering every blade of grass for ninety-plus minutes. Kanté's incredible interception ability, breaking up opposition moves before they fully developed. Gerrard's experience and leadership, that lifted everyone around him, that made players believe in moments of doubt. Together they provided toughness and ball recovery that were thoroughly covered.
The defense was where questions remained, but even there, progress was evident. Van Dijk's arrival would transform the center of the backline, bringing the kind of imposing presence they'd lacked. Piszczek solved right-back. The pieces were coming together.
Now they just needed the final piece of the defensive puzzle. Once the left-back position was adequately filled with someone reliable—this squad's competitiveness would be genuinely formidable. They'd be able to challenge any team in the league on their day, match up against anyone without obvious weaknesses to exploit.
At least for competing on a single front—focusing solely on the Premier League, it would be more than enough. The squad had quality and, increasingly, depth.
Any major transformation, any wholesale revolution of the playing style or personnel beyond these targeted additions, would have to wait until the summer transfer window. That's when they'd have more time to be thorough, more options as players from across Europe became available, clearer objectives based on this season's performance and where they actually finished in the table.
Besides, the World Cup would come after the summer window, introducing variables that were impossible to predict now.
Player values would fluctuate wildly based on international performances, reputations would be created or destroyed over a few high-stakes matches watched by billions. Some would become ridiculously expensive overnight. Others might become available unexpectedly.
The summer would bring its own opportunities and challenges. For now, the focus had to be on completing this season's squad, plugging the immediate gaps, and then seeing how far this team could actually go.
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