It has been a slow burn so far, but the sense that Liverpool's summer is about to shift up a gear is growing by the day. Two signings already through the door, a manager keen to put his own stamp on things, and now a flurry of transfer noise that suggests the real business is just getting started.

Let's deal with the most straightforward one first. Cody Gakpo is not going anywhere, and Liverpool have made that abundantly clear. Tottenham have been circling, with the Dutch winger's name consistently appearing in connection with a move to north London, but the Reds are having none of it. According to Fabrizio Romano, the club are simply not entertaining the idea of letting him leave this summer.

Romano was unambiguous on his YouTube channel: "Guys, my understanding is the main names to take into consideration for Tottenham for the winger positions are Cody Gakpo, but at the moment Liverpool are yet to open doors to an exit, and Savinho."

He went on to add: "Cody Gakpo is a desire of Tottenham but at the moment Liverpool are not opening the doors to an exit, so we have to be patient."

Romano also made clear that Savinho, currently at Manchester City, is very much Tottenham's priority, describing him as "number one, two and three" on their wishlist for the wide position. The Gakpo link, then, looks more like opportunism from Spurs than a genuine pursuit Liverpool need to worry about. The Netherlands' early exit from the World Cup had naturally stirred speculation about the forward's immediate future, but the expectation is that he will report for pre-season with the rest of Andoni Iraola's squad as planned.

Now, the more intriguing story. Liverpool have reportedly made contact with Wolves about signing midfielder Joao Gomes, with Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte claiming both the Reds and Manchester United have been in touch to ask about the price of a deal. The figure being discussed is in the region of £38 million for the 25-year-old, who has earned ten caps for Brazil.

Gomes had been on the radar of Atletico Madrid, with agent Jorge Mendes apparently involved in facilitating that move before it fell apart. That door closing may well have opened another, and it appears Liverpool and United were both watching closely enough to make their move.

Wolves' relegation from the Premier League inevitably changes the equation for a player of Gomes' quality. He built a strong reputation in English football's top flight despite the club's struggles over recent seasons, and that kind of proven Premier League experience carries genuine value. For Liverpool, the appeal is easy to understand.

The honest question, though, is whether midfield is truly an area of need right now. On the surface, Iraola appears reasonably well stocked in the engine room, and it is not the most glaring gap in the squad. But football has a habit of making situations complicated in a hurry.

The source of that complication? There are whispers that Alexis Mac Allister has attracted interest from Real Madrid, and Curtis Jones is said to be weighing up his future at the club. If either or both of those situations were to develop into actual departures, the midfield picture would shift considerably. Suddenly a £38 million move for a dynamic, experienced Brazilian who knows the demands of Premier League football starts to look a lot more pressing.

It is worth noting that Manchester United's own midfield hunt could yet lead them to Gomes as well. Their expected arrival of Andrey Santos from Chelsea addresses one need, but their pursuit of Atalanta's Ederson is reportedly in serious doubt following concerns from a medical, leaving them potentially short in that area of the pitch. The competition for Gomes, should Liverpool decide to push forward, is unlikely to be a quiet one.

Iraola's first summer at the helm began with Jeremy Jacquet's pre-arranged switch completing and the rather more surprising addition of Victor Munoz from Osasuna. Both meaningful pieces of business, but the real shape of this window is still forming. With Gakpo secured, a midfielder potentially on the horizon, and plenty still to resolve at squad level, the coming weeks at Anfield are going to be anything but quiet.