Liverpool are in fine fettle and will feel that silverware will return to Anfield this season after some spectacular results over the past several months, with a pathway to success clear across every competition at this stage.
First-placed in the Premier League and in commanding positions across all three cup competitions, last year's malaise has been blown away after the sweeping changes made to the midfield in the summer.
The equilibrium has settled, the feel-good factor has returned and Jurgen Klopp's side are proving that victory is always within grasp, even with so many slow starts threatening the fluency of results and performance.
Joel Matip's ACL injury – suffered against Fulham in December – has heightened the concerns over the strength of the backline, which is formidable, true, but perhaps lacking somewhat in options.
But the emergence of Jarell Quansah has calmed fears and this appears to have led Klopp to shift his focus back toward the frontline, with Mohamed Salah's future still up in the air.
Liverpool want to sign former Premier League winger
According to reports from one Spanish news outlet, financially troubled Barcelona are looking to offload winger Raphinha and while there have been links regarding Liverpool's interest in the player, Klopp has his reservations.
The main reason behind this is that the German tactician is wary that the 27-year-old, who would cost around €60m (£52m), does not improve the existing options at Anfield.
Games
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
Wins
0
Defeats
2
Biggest scoreline
6-0 to Liverpool
Of course, with Salah's contract up for expiry in 2025, a summer sale is possible if new terms are not agreed and Raphinha appears to be one of the options internally discussed.
Raphinha's style of play
Raphinha has been hailed as a "magician" by former Leeds United teammate Dan James in the past and this is an apt description for a fleet-footed winger with technical ability to rival most of his positional peers across the continent.
After enjoying a talismanic period with the Whites in the Premier League, the 19-cap Brazil star would move to Catalonia in 2022 for £55m, though he has been solid if unspectacular for large spells of his stint in Spain and has only started eight of Barcelona's 19 La Liga games this term, picking up a red card in the opening match.
Nonetheless, as per Sofascore, he has clinched three goals and five assists, though making only 2.6 ball recoveries per game it is clear to see that more mobility is needed from this talented star.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues for assists, the top 15% for shot-creating actions and the top 12% for passes attempted, with his playing style drawing comparison to Arsenal's Bukayo Saka via the sites 'Similar Players' model.
Of course, Saka is one of football's biggest current prodigies and is actually considered the fifth most valuable player in the world right now by Football Transfers, having been the fulcrum of the Gunners' ascent under Mikel Arteta over the past few years.
The England international has scored nine goals and provided 12 assists this season and ranks among the top 9% of positional peers for assists and shot-creating actions, the top 11% for progressive carries and the top 15% for tackles per 90.
Heralded for his "ruthless" streak by Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate, Saka might be of a similar style to Raphinha but he is undoubtedly the better player, and while Liverpool could be enticed by the prospect of signing such a player, Raphinha wouldn't be able to replicate the same level and replace Salah.
Raphinha vs Mohamed Salah
Given the price tag that La Blaugrana have placed on Raphinha, it's really only feasible that an agreement with Liverpool would be struck if Salah was to leave, with Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad offering £150m last August and clubs of such affluence sure to return in the summer.
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The 31-year-old is one of the greatest forwards in Liverpool's history and has scored 204 goals and supplied 88 assists across 332 fixtures since signing from Roma for £34m in 2017, winning the whole gamut of trophies under Klopp's wing.
This term, with the Reds firing on all cylinders and searching for silver-laden success, the £350k-per-week phenom has plundered 18 goals and nine assists from 27 matches.
To emphasise his effectiveness in the danger area, he ranks among the top 2% of positional peers for goals and assists and the top 1% for touches in the attacking box per 90 – deadly in front of goal.
Matches played
20
15
Starts
20
8
Goals scored
0.73
0.41
Assists
0.41
0.68
Shots taken
3.06
4.46
Shot-creating actions
4.56
7.57
Progressive passes
5.13
4.73
Progressive carries
3.58
3.65
Successful take-ons
4.56
7.51
Now, it's quite easy to look at the table above and conclude that Raphinha is performing at a higher level than Salah right now, but the data is skewed by the Camp Nou forward's irregular match action this season.
Salah, by comparison, has played without pause and currently perches joint-top of the Premier League scoring charts (alongside Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland) and is level with Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins for most assists of the campaign, with eight.
Furthermore, the Egyptian has created the most big chances of any player in the division, with his 17 chances created a whopping five ahead of teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold's 12.
Quite simply, Raphinha would not be able to compensate for such a world-class threat; while he has been hailed for his "unplayable" performances in the Premier League by presenter Oscar Marrio in the past, his overall tally stands at 17 goals and 12 assists from 65 appearances.
Of course, he does ply his trade for Barcelona and there is a reason for that; indeed, only last summer the Brazilian basked in the triumph of winning La Liga, but he was never the main man and there is a sense that Liverpool and its supporters would seek a replacement of greater calibre, should Salah leave at the end of the campaign.
Klopp must weigh up his options if the unthinkable becomes reality in several months, and while Raphinha is an exciting player he is perhaps not the solution to this particular quandary.
