Liverpool's midfield is a weak spot, but which elite players are available and within their price range? ..

As each game goes by, the calls for Liverpool to acquire a new central midfielder become louder.

Despite Jurgen Klopp's insistence that the Reds cannot "play Monopoly" in the January transfer window, it appears like his team has no shot at a top-four finish in the Premier League without at least some sort of reinforcement this month.

We all know that Jude Bellingham is Liverpool's top transfer target, but there is absolutely no way to convince Borussia Dortmund to sell him, and there is also no assurance that the English star will select Liverpool over other clubs like Real Madrid or Manchester City.

Similarly, the transfer of Wolves' Matheus Nunes, a long-time target and a Portugal international who has already appeared for two teams this season, will have to wait until the summer.

Anfield insiders continue to downplay rumors of another January signing to follow up on the £44 million ($52m) acquisition of Cody Gakpo, but as the last two January windows have shown, Liverpool is prepared to do late business if an opportunity arises or if the need becomes too severe to ignore.

In light of this, GOAL examines a few players that may catch the attention of the Reds over the coming three weeks...

Moises Caicedo

The 21-year-old Brighton midfielder is a player with definite Champions League club potential, and the recent transfer of agents by the Ecuador international signals that he and his team are ready for a move. Even while a sum of £45-60m ($55-73m) is not out of the question for a club like Liverpool, whether Brighton would be willing to sell in the middle of the season when they have European goals of their own to fulfill is another problem entirely. However, within the club, officials have downplayed the possibility of an agreement.

Alexis Mac Allister

Youri Tielemans

Tielemans, at 25 years old, has a lot of playing time under his belt and should have been able to get a higher salary elsewhere or at least was offered a new deal by Leicester. The Belgian international's contract will end this summer, making a cheap transfer in the new year a distinct possibility. Given Jordan Henderson's and Harvey Elliott's problems in that post this season, he may be an intriguing option for Liverpool given his Premier League experience and his ability to create and score goals from a right-sided No.8 role.

Florian Neuhaus

Neuhaus, a 25-year-old midfielder for Borussia Monchengladbach, had a knee injury in September and is presently making his way back to full health. Liverpool had been heavily interested in signing Neuhaus in the previous summer. With only 18 months left on his contract, it would be intriguing to watch whether Liverpool reignite their interest in him once he expects to make his comeback to action this month. It's hard to believe, but they've pulled off similar feats with stars like Mohamed Salah in the past.

Hossam Aouar

It wasn't long ago that everyone thought the Lyon star would soon be playing for one of the elite clubs in the Premier League, with Arsenal and Liverpool being the most heavily connected. The 24-year-old is, like Tielemans at Leicester, nearing the conclusion of his contract and may be available at a relatively inexpensive fee. Although he's obviously talented, whether or not Aouar would provide Liverpool the kind of physical presence they've been lacking is debatable.

Joao Palhinha

Palhinha, one of the underappreciated contributors to Fulham's stellar Premier League season, is a player well known to Liverpool's scouting staff. His transfer from Sporting Lisbon last summer cost the club merely £20m ($24m). Although he's only 27, he should be entering his prime years with the Liverpool team, which has historically preferred to make big-money additions of younger players in important positions.

Teun Koopmeiners

Liverpool has been linked to this player in recent weeks, much to the Dutchman's joy. Koopmeiners's age (24), physical profile, and experience (AZ Alkmaar, Atalanta, and the Netherlands national team) all make him an attractive prospect. Although he is a crucial player for Bergamo and hence unlikely to come cheap, his versatility as a player who can play both in the defensive and offensive halves of the midfield is an attractive quality.

Adrien Rabiot

Another player who has long been linked to a move to the Premier League and who was one of France's top players in the most recent World Cup. Rabiot's contract with Juventus will expire in the summer as well, although the club would love to keep him in Turin for another season. He'll turn 28 in April, but he's already had plenty of top-level experience and would be an asset to any club.

Sofyan Amrabat

The Moroccan was one of the competition's most impressive players, and the Reds were heavily linked to him after the tournament ended. However, club insiders downplayed Liverpool's interest. The Fiorentina player, who is 26 years old, is more of a defensive midfield specialist than the others on our list. He would provide grit and energy to the team, but his price will have skyrocketed after his impressive performances in Qatar.

Mahmoud Dahoud

You may recall that Dahoud was a hot topic of conversation among Liverpool supporters in 2016. Six and a half years later, the twice-capped Germany international is nearing the conclusion of his contract with Borussia Dortmund after failing to fully realize the potential he displayed at Gladbach in his early career. Like with Neuhaus, Liverpool's interest in him seems unlikely to be revived, but they were fans in the past.

Manu Kone

Kone, like many other promising young players in the Bundesliga, has been linked to a move away from Eintracht Frankfurt, where he now plays, to clubs like Newcastle. The Frenchman has a lot of potential for his age (21), and his versatility would make a team like Liverpool very interested in signing him.

Luca Sucic

A player who has been on Liverpool's radar for a while and who appears set to join the lengthy line of successful players who hail from Salzburg. Sucic is still young (just 20) and the Croatian's well-rounded skill set could make him an attractive prospect to any major team. Liverpool has a long-standing relationship with the Red Bull group, and this is a guy with significant potential despite his offensive focus and goal-scoring prowess.

Sander Berge

Persistently associated with Liverpool last summer, the Norwegian international has been one of the top players in the Championship with Sheffield United this season, and undoubtedly has the skill and potential to play at a higher level. Even if moving him from Bramall Lane to Anfield would be a major step, the 24-year-old wouldn't break the bank.