Jesse Marsch has already said Liverpool are about to sign their ‘own Erling Haaland’

It was a name that came out of the blue - and then things moved at breakneck speed.

While the focus of Liverpool's next midfield signing was on Khephren Thuram, Ryan Gravenberch, Manu Kone and the rest of the plethora of players linked, Dominik Szoboszlai wasn't mentioned. Until Wednesday afternoon, that is.

It emerged that the Reds were exploring a deal for the RB Leipzig star, although there was a race against the clock. A £60.1 million release clause had to be triggered by Friday evening. With Jurgen Klopp convinced that the 22-year-old can be a key cog in his engine-room rebuild, Liverpool have indeed to meet Leipzig’s demands.

Since Szoboszlai has come on the Reds' radar, the excitement has been building among supporters. His stats from last season alone make for exciting viewing. Ten goals and 13 assists in 46 appearances is a tremendous feat - especially playing in a side that finished third in the Bundesliga and was also competing in the Champions League against the best clubs in Europe.

Then you watch some of those finishes and his overall play in general. Szoboszlai's highlight reels are awash of sublime long-range strikes, ingenious passes to set-up team-mates and mesmorising tricks.

What makes it more impressive is that Szoboszlai is nowhere near his peak years. He's a precocious talent, already captain of the Hungary national team, and is only going on an upward trajectory.

That's the way that Szoboszlai's career has gone so far. He left Liefering in 2017 to join Red Bull Salzburg where he won four Austrian titles and three Austrian Cups. Jesse Marsch was his manager at Salzburg - and Erling Haaland a team-mate.

Haaland enjoyed an incredible maiden season at Manchester City in 2022-23. He plundered 52 goals in 53 games as Pep Guardiola's side not only claimed a maiden Champions League but the Premier League and FA Cup to boot.

Some would suggest Haaland is the best player in the world. Plenty would concur he's only behind Kylian Mbappe when it comes to that bragging right.

But Marsch, who spent a year as Leeds United manager, has previously insisted that Szoboszlai is just as talented as Haaland.

The American said: "As talent goes, there aren't many better players that can play his position. Some are strong, some are technical, some are good tactically, and some can defend well or run a lot.

"However, Dominik is special because he has all of these skills combined. Dominik is just as talented as Erling Haaland."

Speaking earlier this year, Leipzig head coach Marco Rose said: “Now we're seeing the real Szoboszlai. He's an unbelievably ambitious player, who wants to win. His shooting is exceptional, especially from range. I hope he can continue this way.”

Szoboszlai will be stepping into an Anfield dressing room that has a plethora of top-class talents. Mo Salah, Alisson Becker and Trent Alexander-Arnold are just three of them. But given what Marsch has said previously, Szoboszlai will look nowhere near out of place.