Liverpool remain “actively” in the market for a new centre-back this summer, focusing on three key qualities they want in the position.
Joe Gomez’s early return to Liverpool with an Achilles injury has once again highlighted the club’s need for defensive reinforcements, especially after attention seemed to shift elsewhere in the transfer window.
Currently, manager Arne Slot has only Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate as fit specialist centre-back options on the pre-season tour, following Jarell Quansah’s transfer to Bayer Leverkusen in early July.
Marc Guehi is a primary target, but Liverpool are “unlikely to be drawn into a saga” with Crystal Palace over their high demands for the player, who is out of contract next summer, according to The Times’ Paul Joyce.
The Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele reports that Liverpool remain “actively targeting centre-backs to boost their squad,” though “nothing is advanced” at this stage.
The club’s “main brief” is to find a centre-back who is young, comfortable on the ball, and capable of learning from Van Dijk to eventually become his long-term replacement.
Guehi, 25, fits this profile well. Entering his prime years, he has proven himself as a progressive, ball-playing defender who thrives in one-on-one situations.
While he is not as dominant in the air as Van Dijk or other senior centre-backs at Liverpool, there is potential for him to develop in that area under the club captain’s guidance.
In recent years, Liverpool monitored players such as Levi Colwill, Leny Yoro, and Dean Huijsen, but all chose to move elsewhere. Still, these players exemplify the type of profile Liverpool are seeking.
More recently, the club has been linked with Toulouse’s Charlie Cresswell and Parma’s Giovanni Leoni, while Jorrel Hato – previously touted as a target – is reportedly close to a move to Chelsea.
Liverpool fans are well aware of the defensive frailties the team has faced, and the use of Ryan Gravenberch and Kostas Tsimikas in centre-back roles during the pre-season friendly against AC Milan served as a stark reminder of the need for reinforcements.
While Alexander Isak remains the headline transfer target, sporting director Richard Hughes will not neglect the defence as he helps shape the squad under Arne Slot’s vision, preparing for a challenge across all competitions.
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