Liverpool announced on Monday that Jarell Quansah had signed a new, long-term contract with the club. It was just reward for an academy product who has been excellent since breaking into the senior squad at the start of last season at a time when former manager Jurgen Klopp was short on numbers in the centre of defence.
However, while the 21-year-old Quansah - who has been at Liverpool since he was five - is a popular player among the fans, it was hardly the renewal news they'd been patiently awaiting. With Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold all out of contract at the end of the season, Reds are presently desperate for even a sign that any one of that key trio are close to committing their future to the club.
Until their respective situations are resolved, Liverpool's owners, the Fenway Sports Group (FSG), and the recruitment strategy being employed by the likes of CEO of football Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes, will remain under intense scrutiny.
However, while the fan focus right now is understandably on Van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold, it's already become clear that the transfer team made a couple of very astute decisions during the summer transfer window...