It has now been more than a month since we pointed out the obvious, which was Liverpool’s urgent need for a new goalkeeper, and what has happened since? Precisely nothing, that’s what!

Now it could be argued that, with the season over and the new one not beginning for another eight weeks or so, the urgency isn’t quite as…..well…..urgent. Bear in mind that three of those eight weeks will be taken up by the World Cup, then there will be a short break, then pre-season tours, so there actually isn’t as much time as some may think.

Obviously, Jürgen Klopp is watching the World Cup. He is on the lookout for a new goalkeeper, amongst other things, because he knows he needs one. He has needed one since long before he knew he needed one, since before he even joined Liverpool in fact.

The last time Liverpool bought a decent goalkeeper was when they brought in Ray Clemence from Scunthorpe United in 1967, unless anyone considers Bruce Grobelaar was decent.

So it is now time to stop penny-pinching on the position and, if necessary, break the bank to bring in a world class keeper.

It would appear that they won’t be breaking the bank on Alisson Becker of Roma for two reasons. One is that the player himself would prefer a move to Real Madrid and the second is that breaking the bank does not necessarily mean being stupid which is what Liverpool would have to be to pay the €78 million he is likely to cost the Spaniards.

So that’s one gone. The other goalkeeper linked with the Merseysiders was Jan Oblak of Atlético Madrid but his release clause of €100 million is even less likely to excite Liverpool into conducting business with Madrid.

Whilst all this has been going on, of course, West Ham United have signed Lucas Fabianski from Swansea, Wolves have signed Rui Patricio from Sporting Lisbon and Arsenal have signed Bernd Leno from Bayer Leverkusen.

What is the problem as far as Liverpool are concerned? All of these signings will be replacing goalkeepers who are already better than anything Liverpool have and any one of these new goalkeepers would have been an upgrade on what Liverpool currently possess and would have cost a fraction of the price they will undoubtedly end up paying.

Still, Jürgen must know what he is doing and may already have spotted a bargain at the World Cup. In truth, having watched all the games so far, we don’t recall an outstanding goalkeeping performance from anybody whether they be a famous established star or a young unknown but there is still time.

Reports linking Klopp with the signing of Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha are now widely available in your local and national press including the Liverpool Echo, the Daily Mirror and the Daily Star, so they must be true.

The 23 year-old Albanian wouldn’t have to disappear for the World Cup very often and is currently the number one at Lazio who have already signed a replacement so many a hack has put two and two together and are fervently praying that the answer is somewhere near four!

We are not so sure but, as we have said, almost anybody would be better than what is currently available.