Liverpool are in a tremendous position as the festive period consumes English football, with matches coming thick and fast and tensions high with so much on the line.
In the coming weeks, Jurgen Klopp's side will conclude their Europa League group phase campaign, complete successive Anfield fixtures in the Premier League against Manchester United and Arsenal, and clash against West Ham United for a spot in the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
Also first-placed in the Premier League after 15 matches, the Reds are flying if not quite clicking into full gear, and while the strides taken over the past months have been impressive, there is much more to be done, with an exciting new forward understood to have been earmarked.
Liverpool transfer news – Maximilian Beier
According to Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool are "interested" in signing Hoffenheim centre-forward Maximilian Beier, who holds a €30m (£26m) release clause in his contract.
While the journalist's delineation notes that many English outfits are attentive to the 21-year-old's situation, Liverpool are the only team explicitly mentioned, implying that Klopp's side perhaps currently lead the race.
The German has been in fine form this season and is vying to earn a place in his nation's European Championship 2024 squad, which will be held in his homeland.
Maximilian Beier's season in numbers
Graduating from Hoffenheim's academy, Beier has honed his craft over the past few years on loan with Bundesliga 2. side Hannover 04, scoring 15 goals and supplying seven assists across 68 appearances.
Provided with the opportunity to shine back with Die Kraichgauer this term, he has plundered six goals and four assists across just 13 appearances in the German top-flight, leading journalist Antonio Mango to remark on his "exceptional" displays.
As per Sofascore, he has also averaged 2.4 shots per game and has missed just two big chances in the Bundesliga – for reference, Darwin Nunez has missed 15 in the 2023/24 Premier League.
While Liverpool need to complete their midfield transfer work and bolster the backline, Beier's release clause makes for an enticing chance to sign a star in the making, and Klopp is evidently enamoured by his skill set.
How Maximilian Beier compares to Roberto Firmino
Deployed as either a left flanker or as the central focal point, Beier would add a sense of dynamism to the Anfield side's frontline and could be the missing piece to ensure that Klopp boasts a formidable frontline for many years to come.
As per FBref, the 6-foot striker ranks among the top 15% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 20% for progressive carries and the top 22% for successful take-ons per 90, highlighting a natural eye for goal and ease in progressing the play.
He could even be Liverpool's next Roberto Firmino, with the lionised Brazilian signing for the club from Hoffenheim for £29m in 2015, months before Klopp's appointment.
Firmino, aged 32, left the club for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia in the summer upon the conclusion of his contract, drawing the curtain on an illustrious and revolutionary stay on Merseyside that saw him chalk up 111 goals and 79 assists over 362 displays, integral in every piece of silverware won over the past years.
Heralded as a Liverpool "legend" by talkSPORT's Darren Ambrose, Firmino was silky and smooth, gliding across the pitch and baffling defenders with his deft touches – they say that while Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane wreaked prolific havoc, it was Firmino who was the true string-puller.
Beier, who is already showing signs of effectiveness across both his direct threat and his creativity, could be the dream heir – notably potentially signing from the same club – and with Plettenberg noting that there are multiple clubs in line, a January swoop may well be a stellar idea.