Liverpool told how much they'd need to pay for the next Ronaldo Araujo

Andoni Iraola may have had four new players added to his first-team squad in the summer but, it still feels like more deals need to be done.

Some of his men obviously exited Anfield to make room for the newcomers but, it still feels like more transfers need to be made before Liverpool are ready to be considered as genuine title challengers.

Liverpool managed to strengthen their attack and defence in the summer and, while these improvements will certainly help with the way that things go in the future, there are a couple of positions which could still do with a bit more of a boost.

Many different players from all across the world were linked with a Liverpool switch in the summer but, since they don't have an endless money pit, all the changes they needed to make couldn't be done in just one window.

So, even though the January transfer window is still a long way away yet, the rumour mill is already starting to turn about what potential deals Liverpool could do to bolster their ranks even more.

Liverpool would have to splurge €45 million to sign Pierre Kalulu

Liverpool's defence was probably the main area of their squad that needed upgrading.

Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson both exited for nothing and, with how poorly Jeremie Frimpong performed last term, right-back was always going to be one of their biggest issues.

That is, especially since Conor Bradley's return date still hasn't been made clear.

Indeed, the Reds did get a season-long loan deal over the line for Ronald Araujo which has helped them out massively.

But, since their option to buy at the end of the season is worth around €55 million (£47.2 million) it feels a tad steep for someone who's going to be 28 years old and isn't homegrown.

That's why the latest update from Fussball News on the Reds' pursuit of Pierre Kalulu should be something that excites fans.

"According to information from fussball-news.de, Kalulu is being closely watched by Manchester United in particular," they wrote.

"Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are also interested in the versatile defender. Furthermore, Liverpool have been keeping an eye on Kalulu for some time.

"Kalulu's current market value is estimated at around 32 million euros. However, should one of the interested parties actually push for a transfer, Juventus are likely to demand significantly more.

"According to information from fussball-news.de, the starting price for negotiations could be around 45 to 50 million euros. Performance-related bonuses and a sell-on clause could also be part of a potential deal."

Pierre Kalulu would be a solid acquisition for Liverpool

Admittedly, Kalulu doesn't solve Liverpool's homegrown issue as the Frenchman would also be classed as a foreign player.

However, since Juventus want a lot less money for the 26-year-old than Barcelona do for Araujo, it feels like he's be a solid signing.

Kalulu can be used as a centre-back or a right-back and, although most of his career has been spent in the Serie A with Juventus and AC Milan, the experience he has under his bely is impressive.

The Frenchman has been a long-term target for Liverpool with right-back being one of their main problem areas since Alexander-Arnold's departure.

Indeed, Araujo is doing a more than solid job at the moment, but, with his injury history taken into account and his age, €55 million feels like a hefty chunk of change for Liverpool to fork out.

Of course, if they're wanting a leader to replace Virgil van Dijk at the end of the season then the Uruguayan could be the better option.

But, if they're wanting a centre-back who can cover right-back as well, someone such as Kalulu would be a much better investment.

Not only is he younger but he'd also be much cheaper and would easily be able to fit into Iraola's plans if needed.