The Reds' hopes of landing their top target are over, so who else could they target to fix their biggest issue ahead of 2023-24?

If ever there was an update Liverpool fans didn't want, this was it. For months, the idea of Jude Bellingham arriving at Anfield this summer has provided some comfort for supporters amid the Reds' underwhelming, and at times infuriating, campaign.

Now, though, that comfort has been ripped away. GOAL confirmed on Tuesday that Liverpool are ready to move on from their Bellingham pursuit, deciding that they cannot afford the Borussia Dortmund star when they need a whole clutch of new players this summer to arrest this season's considerable drop in standards.

Jurgen Klopp has spoken publicly of the need for "a big summer", and with the likes of Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all out of contract at the end of the season, it is safe to assume that work is already underway to identify potential summer targets, even if the club's struggle to secure Champions League qualification provides an unwanted obstacle, and distraction, to their plans.

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Bellingham, of course, was the dream, but as Klopp pointed out recently, there are a lot of talented footballers available for a club like Liverpool. And according to sources familiar with the situation at Anfield, there is a long list of potential summer targets, whether they land a top-four finish or not.

With that in mind, GOAL takes a look at some players who could, or indeed should, find themselves on the Reds’ radar…

Getty ImagesMoises Caicedo

The Brighton midfielder is a player who is clearly destined for a Champions League club, and was pursued strongly by Premier League leaders Arsenal, as well as big-spending Chelsea, at the end of the January window.

Brighton, though, stood firm despite the Ecuadorian stating publicly his desire to leave. Caicedo has since signed a new deal at the Amex Stadium, although many suspect that is more about protecting his value than any long-term desire to remain on the South Coast.

Liverpool sources have previously played down the club's interest in the 21-year-old, but Caicedo's age and all-round skillset would make him a perfect fit for the Reds, even if he is likely to cost in excess of £80 million ($98m).

AdvertisementGetty ImagesAlexis Mac Allister

What about Caicedo’s team-mate at the Amex, then? Mac Allister, undoubtedly, is hot property after playing a key role in Argentina’s World Cup win, and like Caicedo has already been linked with a move to a bigger, more high-profile club.

The 24-year-old's father, Carlos, reportedly attended Liverpool's Champions League game with Real Madrid at Anfield last month, and certainly Alexis' blend of attacking guile and defensive output mark him out as a player who could make a difference to Liverpool.

Mind you, given the Reds lost 5-2 against Real that night, maybe the Mac Allister clan could have second thoughts on the idea of a move to Merseyside…

Getty ImagesMason Mount

It is increasingly likely that the England international will leave Chelsea this summer, with Mount set to enter the final year of his contract and talks over a new deal having hit a roadblock.

Liverpool, along with Manchester United and newly-ambitious Newcastle, are all keen, with the 24-year-old having already appointed a new agent, Neil Fewings, in preparation for a summer transfer.

Mount, it should be said, has not had the best of times this season, but Liverpool are long-term admirers, and his hard-running, positionally-smart style of play could be very useful as Klopp rebuilds his midfield.

Expect the Reds to be very much in the race for Mount this summer.

GettyMatheus Nunes

Despite a mixed first season in the Premier League with Wolves, Nunes is a player who is very much admired by Liverpool.

Indeed, stories earlier this year suggested that an agreement was already in place for the Reds to bid for the 24-year-old this summer, with Liverpool having opted not to pursue the player when he moved to Wolves from Sporting CP last August.

Nunes, who has been in and out at Molineux so far, still has a lot to prove in England, but he is versatile and skilled, and at a cost of around £50m ($61m) would not break the bank either.