The stage is a convention center on the path of Fenway Park, the house of the Red Medias of Boston, in a cheerful spring afternoon.
A gentleman without pretensions in jeans and a hoodie is chatting with all kinds of people and the essence is that whatever happens, he is happy at work and will not leave.
That man is Michael Edwards, a private individual who is so important for Liverpool's success in the last decade as Jurgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah. A man so private that almost the only photo available from him is from a Justgiving page when he directed a marathon for charity in 2019.
But despite telling people that they did not give up their role leading the Ludonautics data consulting firm, I was considering taking the main job in football operations in Fenway Sports Group. And after the conversations in Boston that week, the keys to Liverpool was given, which was confirmed yesterday for a year.
Edwards observed from the elegant seats while Liverpool left the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain. He was sitting next to the man who hired as sports director, Richard Hughes, who in turn recruited Arne Slot, when many did not consider Feyenoord chief as a viable candidate.
Given the quality of the PSG team that knocked out the Liverpool, his departure was not a shame. After all, Hughes and Slot, whose offices are next to Kirkby HQ of Liverpool, have supervised a season beyond the wildest dreams of most fans.
Liverpool must find an alternative source of objectives of the aging of Mohamed Salah
The Egyptian has been involved in 64 percent of Liverpool's Premier League goals this season
The other Liverpool strikers have scored 27 goals combined in the Premier League this season
It was the hiring of Edwards that gave many followers the faith that the was after Klopp would be soft and the short -term future of the club was in safe hands.
But what Edwards and Hughes will have observed is that their work in the next five months, until the end of the summer transfer window, will shape whether this side of Liverpool is wonders of a season, or if they are ready to build a dynasty.
With a prolific striker, for example, would Liverpool have defeated the PSG? It would be difficult to discuss with that assumption if you imagine Alexander Isak, Matheus Cunha or even Liam of the Leading the line, to choose three strikers who could be on the market this summer.
There were moments on Tuesday when Salah was disappointed by his attacker colleagues. He was marrying creatively, but none of Diogo Jota, Luis Díaz, Darwin Núñez and Cody Gakpo could apply the end.
Gakpo returns from an injury and is not completely fit, while Jota does not seem to trust his body after a series of breakdown in the last three years.
The other two, however, face futures. Liverpool has six strikers, but how many can trust to be consistent scorers? The answer is one and that player, Salah, is out of contract in three months.
Federico Chiesa, the only firm of the Era of Slot-Hughes, has played 25 minutes from the Premier League since he joined last summer.
That is a clear area to improve if Liverpool must boost in the main competition of Europe. Gakpo will stay, but what about the other five? Núñez has an interest in Saudi Arabia, the Spanish press is linking Díaz with Barcelona, the jota lesions record is worrying and Chiesa cannot smell.
Meanwhile, Salah has matched that Tallly alone and scored 27 goals in the Premier League
There is a great external interest in Liverpool attacking players, especially Darwin Núñez
What if Salah stays but, after turning 33 years in June, can't replicate his record season? The Egyptian is the best player in the league, if not in the world, this year, but it cannot be trusted forever.
It is these cut decisions that will gain Edwards and Hughes their corn. In the past, Edwards worried little about loyalty and many confidence servants were replaced by younger talents.
However, the reference line is not the only problem to address the maximum brass of Liverpool this summer. Virgil Van Dijk admits that “he has no idea” where he will be in August, to say at least, while Real Madrid trusts that they can tempt Trent Alexanderandold to join them.
FSG has the policy of not extending the contracts of major players of a certain age, but there are a set of circumstances that guarantees a policy change, it is surely for Salah and Van Dijk.
In the red socks owned by FSG, the star Mookie Betts was not offered a new treatment good enough when he turned a certain age and allowed him to leave. He won two world baseball series in other places.
If Salah and Van Dijk will register it is a murky topic. Both are frustrated by the lack of progress. The offers are on the table, but none has accepted.
Another problematic area is behind, although Andy Robertson was the best Liverpool player against the PSG. The Scottish turned 31 on Tuesday and his deputy, Kostas Tsimikas, does not feel like a long -term replacement.
Liverpool has been touring the market so that the man fills the void once Robertson leaves and Milos Kerkez of Bournemouth is one of those he must see, just like Jorrel Hato de Ajax.
Ryan Gravenberch has enjoyed a great season in the defensive midfield, but it seemed that Leggy against the PSG. If he or Alexis Mac Allister suffered a long -term injury, the center of the field would be light.
Criticizing this Liverpool team is hard since the space of the season has supervised.
They will win the title in a gallop, but if they are going to defend the crown next season and go one step further in Europe, they need to review several areas.