Monday mornings are rarely straightforward, and if Liverpool's late collapse against Leeds in Chicago had not already rattled the nerves, the transfer inbox is doing its level best to finish the job. Twenty-nine days. That is all that remains before the window slams shut on 1 September, and Richard Hughes has plenty still to do.

Let us start with the good news, because there is some — and it is genuinely exciting.

Fabrizio Romano, a man who does not tend to deal in half-measures, dropped a significant update on YouTube this afternoon regarding Liverpool's pursuit of Bradley Barcola. The Italian journalist confirmed that formal club-to-club talks between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are now officially underway.

"The update I can give you today is that Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are now in official club-to-club talks," said Romano. "So, the official conversations — Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, for Bradley Barcola — have started, including the indication from Liverpool to Paris Saint-Germain of the intention to bid for Bradley Barcola."

That is a meaningful step forward. This is no longer background noise or vague interest — Liverpool have sat down at the table and made their intentions clear to PSG directly. For a deal that has been building quietly throughout the summer, this represents a genuine escalation.

Romano was quick to temper expectations around timing, though. The opening numbers from Liverpool are, by his account, some distance from what PSG are expecting to receive. "The initial indications from Liverpool are far away from the bid that Paris Saint-Germain expected," he explained. "So, this is why I keep saying Barcola to Liverpool from PSG is not an imminent 'here we go', it's not today or tomorrow, because in terms of financials, in terms of numbers, they are still far away after these first official talks."

The saving grace is that both parties want this to happen. Romano was emphatic on that point. "Liverpool want Barcola, Barcola loves the idea of joining Liverpool. Personal terms will not be an issue, the player is super tempted by the project. So this deal is ongoing. Liverpool, Barcola, talks ongoing with Paris Saint-Germain, and we wait to see if and when they can reach an agreement on the transfer fee. But the Barcola deal is absolutely on."

Absolutely on. Two words worth bookmarking. The gap is financial, not personal, and with nearly a month of the window remaining there is time yet for the numbers to meet somewhere in the middle. Barcola impressed at the World Cup, contributing three goals and an assist for France despite operating in the considerable shadow of his PSG teammates. Liverpool know what they want. Now it is a matter of agreeing what they are willing to pay.

While that particular negotiation runs its course, there is a complication brewing closer to home. Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with Cody Gakpo, and reports from both the Daily Mail and the Evening Standard have fleshed that out considerably this week.

The good news for Liverpool supporters is that the club are not looking to sell. The Mail are clear that Liverpool "have no plan to sell Cody Gakpo" and that "it would take a huge sum to change Liverpool's stance." As things stand, no bid has been received and there are no active discussions between the clubs.

But it would be naive to pretend the situation is entirely without complication. TEAMtalk reported on Sunday that talks between Spurs and Gakpo's representatives had been "positive" and that the 27-year-old Dutchman is "conscious of what his longer-term role could become and is not entirely convinced that remaining a squad player is the best option at this stage of his career."

That is a fair enough position for a player to hold. If Barcola arrives to play on the left, Gakpo's route into the starting eleven becomes less obvious — even if the new system offers rotation opportunities across the front line and on both flanks. Gakpo is now Liverpool's top-scoring current player in the wake of Mohamed Salah's departure. Letting him walk would ease the wage bill and potentially raise funds for the Barcola pursuit, but it would leave the squad thinner in attack than it already is. That is not a trade-off Liverpool can afford to make lightly.

The third thread running through Monday's news involves Curtis Jones, who endured a difficult evening against Leeds and has been linked with a move to Inter Milan throughout the summer. The Italian club have now returned with a third approach, this time indicating a willingness to pay £30 million for the 25-year-old, whose contract expires next summer.

That is considerably closer to Liverpool's reported £35 million asking price than Inter's previous bids, though a gap remains. According to Inter-focused journalist Armando Areniello, the Serie A side have drawn a firm line, claiming that Inter "has no intention of going beyond €35 million, bonuses included." Whether that ceiling ultimately matches what Liverpool consider acceptable will determine whether this one gets over the line.

Jones was handed the captain's armband during the Leeds match when Dominik Szoboszlai was substituted, but struggled to impose himself as the Reds shipped four goals in a chastening second half. It was not the kind of audition that strengthens a negotiating hand, for the player or the club.

With less than a month of the window remaining, the next week or two could prove decisive on all three fronts. The Barcola deal is building, the Gakpo situation needs careful management, and the Jones question is inching towards a resolution one way or another. Hughes has a lot of plates spinning — and Anfield is watching every one of them.