Liverpool didn’t get Moisés Caicedo this week, but their $140 million offer shows what Jürgen Klopp can spend and gives them one clear transfer choice.

Last month, Jürgen Klopp made a brave choice. The German coach let Fabinho look into leaving the team after Saudi Arabia showed interest in him. Even though he has been getting worse, the Brazilian international was expected to start for Liverpool this season. However, he was allowed to leave for the Middle East.

The Reds were able to get $50 million (£40 million or €46 million) for his skills, so the offer could not be turned down. Selling Fabinho was the right thing to do from a business perspective, but Klopp now has to find a replacement for the South American player on Merseyside.

Since the 29-year-old moved to Al Ittihad, Liverpool has been looking for someone to take his place. At first, Moisés Caicedo was thought to be that person. Last week, Liverpool offered £110 million (€128 million) for his services, but when Brighton and Hove Albion took the offer, Chelsea stepped in and ruined the deal.

Now, a move for him has fallen through, and Caicedo is almost ready to move to Stamford Bridge after finishing his medical on Monday afternoon. Caicedo was Liverpool’s first choice, but now Klopp will have to look at other choices as he tries to fill a huge hole in the middle of the field.

The Reds don’t have many choices left, since the window will close at the end of the month. There is still interest in Southampton’s Roméo Lavia, but it looks like he will also choose Chelsea (The Athletic). And since the Belgian starlet is still a teenager, he is not ready to replace Fabinho as the main fireman for Liverpool at Anfield anyway.

Declan Rice moved from West Ham United to Arsenal earlier in the window. West Ham replaced him with Edson lvarez from Ajax, who is another player Klopp could have signed. Sofyan Amrabat has been open to move from Fiorentina all summer, but Liverpool has been avoiding the Moroccan international, who is expected to join Manchester United.

Overall, there aren’t many people who could fill the open position, but all of a sudden, Cheick Doucouré has the skills to be near the top of the list.

The Athletic said that Liverpool were interested in the Crystal Palace player earlier this summer, but nothing came of it because the Eagles seemed to want $89m (£70m/€81m) for his signature, which was too much for the Reds to even think about.

But since then, Klopp has offered $140 million (£110 million or €128 million) for Caicedo. The South American didn’t sign a contract at Anfield, but the price shows that Liverpool has the money to make a big move this month, and Doucouré could be cheap.

The Malian player isn’t a big name in Europe, but at 23 and with experience in the Premier League, he seems to be one of the few who meets many of Liverpool’s needs.

Doucouré has started at least 33 league games in each of the last three seasons in England and France. He also showed himself to be a good forward player in Ligue 1 in his last season with Lens before joining Crystal Palace. In fact, he came in sixth in his class for both progressive passes and progressive carries, which shows how proactive he is.

In his first season with Crystal Palace in the Premier League, he tied for fifth place among midfielders in tackles and saves, just behind ball-winning midfielders like Caicedo, Rice, and Joo Palhinha. Doucouré is a well-rounded player with the skills to take Fabinho’s place this season.

He is too expensive right now, but Liverpool has the money to buy him. This was shown by their latest bid for Caicedo, which was very high.