Liverpool have been given the go-ahead by manager Jurgen Klopp to sign a new 'box office' midfielder in January, according to reports from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Melo ruled out for months

The Reds were on the hunt for a central midfield addition over the summer in an attempt to ease their injury crisis in that position and ended up bringing Juventus’ Arthur Melo to the Premier League on a season-long loan.

However, the 26-year-old now faces a possible four months on the sidelines himself after sustaining a serious muscle injury in training, seemingly leaving FSG with no choice but to re-enter the transfer market in the New Year.

The Latest: Liverpool plotting box-office midfield signing

According to Football Insider on Sunday morning, Liverpool are ‘pushing ahead’ with recruiting another midfielder, and Klopp has given the Anfield board the ‘green light’ to ‘step up’ their pursuit of a player who’s able to be thrown immediately into the first team fold.

This could mean a ‘stop-gap’ signing similar to Melo, or a ‘box-office capture’ with Jude Bellingham named as a ‘top target’, and it’s stated that the Reds are already ‘laying the groundwork’ for what would be a ‘club-record’ deal to sign the England international.

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The Verdict: Reinforcements needed

Liverpool haven’t made a permanent midfield signing since the arrival of Thiago Alcantara in September 2020, and new blood in that department is desperately needed if they want to give themselves any realistic shot at making the top four this season.

The likes of Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Curtis Jones being out of action has limited the options that the German has had at his disposal, which isn’t ideal when his side are going through such a poor run of form.

Bellingham is undoubtedly one of football’s most promising talents right now, as reflected by him being the joint-most valuable midfielder in the world according to Transfermarkt.

However, it could prove difficult for the Anfield club to beat their competitors to his signature, especially given the staggering valuation being reported and the increasing possibility that the stadium won't host Champions League football next season.