Leny Yoro signs, Luis Diaz call - How Liverpool dream summer could look as homegrown rule explained

As ever with a summer transfer window, there are a number of moving parts involved. Liverpool has a new head coach and plenty of changes behind the scenes to consider, while further adjustments to an already strong squad would be no bad thing.

But where are the positions that need to be strengthened? At center-back, with Joel Matip leaving, there is a clear spot for someone to come in. Ideally, a holding midfielder and an extra forward could be identified too.

Those players need to be the right fit and the right profile, though. They also need to be well-suited to the squad that is already present at Anfield — though that in turn will depend on what happens with certain players who could leave, and others whose position in the team is yet to be 100 per cent nailed down.

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Things are fluid in the market, and there are multiple considerations to be made. Another consideration, brought back into the consciousness today amid the decision to offer Adrian a new contract, is the homegrown quota that Premier League rules stipulate.

Adrian takes up one of those but there is no reason to be concerned. In short, Liverpool (like every other Premier League club) can name up to 17 non-homegrown players in its roster and the Reds are not close enough for it to be a worry.

Last year, Wataru Endo took Fabinho's place in essentially a straight swap homegrown-wise. Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai both joined from Brighton and Leipzig respectively, but Naby Keita, Roberto Firmino and Arthur Melo all departed.

Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch was young enough then not to count because of his age, though he now does now have to be on the list having turned 22. But Matip and Thiago Alcantara are both set to leave, meaning the Reds have one non-homegrown spot in net terms.

Liverpool's non-homegrown players are, as it stands: Alisson Becker, Adrian (if he signs the new deal that has been offered to him), Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Ibrahima Konate, Wataru Endo, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez.

That totals 15 players, so there are therefore another two slots available for non-homegrown signings. Diaz, as one example, has been linked with Barcelona (via AS), but that wouldn't have to happen for another non-homegrown player to come in. Liverpool is in a strong position.

The long and short of that is there is some wriggle room available. If there wasn't, of course, Liverpool could simply have moved Adrian on — and that might yet still happen, considering the offer made to the Spaniard hasn't been accepted yet. He spoke recently about potentially moving back to La Liga.

But even if he stays as the third-choice goalkeeper — as a well-respected part of the dressing room and a good influence on the training field — then there are places available for new additions before any sales are considered too. Adrian staying does not mean that another transfer elsewhere can't happen.

Liverpool could, for instance, sign a non-homegrown over-21 player in both defense and attack without having to lose anyone else. And either a homegrown or U21 player could come in on top of that and not need to be on the separate list.

Leny Yoro, as one example who has been linked with a move (via Foot Mercato), would be young enough at 18 not to take up a spot for another couple of seasons, while Levi Colwill, another namechecked (by HITC) as remaining on the Reds' radar, is still young enough too.

In forward areas, Johan Bakayoko (suggested as a possible Liverpool signing by HLN and others) has only just turned 21 and there would be space for an older signing, like 22-year-old Crysencio Summerville (watched by Liverpool, according to Fabrizio Romano) or 24-year-old Bryan Mbeumo (a target, according to L'Equipe), regardless.