Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool revolution appears to be running on fumes.
Liverpool outplayed Manchester United in the first half of its bitter derby game on Sunday, only to subside, meekly, in the second.
That has been the case on too many occasions this season, under new manager Klopp and the man he replaced, Brendan Rodgers.
In fact, Klopp now has a worse record than Rodgers at Anfield, Liverpool's home ground, having taken nine points from his first seven home games. Rodgers won 14 from his final seven.
Lies, damned lies, and statistics. Klopp is working with the squad that Rodgers built, and needs at least this January transfer window and probably several more to build a side akin to the one he established at Borussia Dortmund in Germany.
But the window is creaking shut, closing at 11pm GMT on February 1. And so far, Liverpool has added just Serbian teenager Marko Grujic, who was immediately sent back on loan to his former club Red Star Belgrade, and Steven Caulker, the defender who has joined on loan from Southampton.
According to The Daily Telegraph, Liverpool has renewed its interest in Cristian Tello, the Barcelona winger currently on a two-year loan deal at FC Porto, the Portuguese club formerly managed by Jose Mourinho.
Tello, once highly regarded at Barcelona and a product of its famous La Masia academy, has fallen down the club's hierarchy in recent years—one of many to fail to break into a first team containing three of the world's top four attacking players in Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar.
That academy schooling, though, means Tello is technically excellent, a dribbler with a sharp turn of pace and good close control.
Liverpool has struggled for pace on the left-hand side of its attack since Raheem Sterling, the English winger, left for Manchester City in the summer. Sterling gave Liverpool blinding speed and incision. With James Milner now occupying the same position, Liverpool's attack appears leaden.
Tello could change that, though there is reported competition for his signature from Fiorentina, the Serie A club from Italy.
Klopp needs to stamp his authority over Liverpool's squad, and he needs to buy a player with pace. Signing Tello would fit both of those requirements.
Uncommon Knowledge
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