Having instead focused their attentions on rebuilding an ageing midfield last summer, Liverpool look to kick off the post Jurgen Klopp era by bolstering their backline across multiple areas if recent reports are to be believed. The Carabao Cup winners have been linked with a series of defenders, including Premier League duo Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace) and Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham).
Reds revel in new-look midfield – defence needs upgrades
- Goncalo Inacio (Sporting), Lille’s Leny Yoro and Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie are all admired by the Liverpool decision-makers, should they choose to turn their attentions to the continent
- Leverkusen’s Simon Rolfes, Florent Ghisolfi at Nice and former Milan chief Frederic Massara have all been linked to the Reds’ vacant sporting director role, though Michael Edwards also continues to be mentioned
- Right time for a reunion? Their former midfielder-turned-coach Xabi Alonso, currently overseeing an unprecedented season across all competitions with Leverkusen, is tipped to succeed Klopp this summer
DESPITE falling short in their Jude Bellingham pursuit, opting for Real Madrid rather than return to English shores, Liverpool enjoyed a quietly successful summer transfer window in 2023 – led by a shrewd £35m deal signing World Cup-winning midfielder Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton as they completed a quartet of midfield deals.
The jury’s still out on Ryan Gravenberch, who joined for slightly less from Bundesliga champions Bayern on deadline day, though the Reds’ other flurries into the German market have paid immediate dividends.
Dominik Szoboszlai (RB Leipzig) has gathered rave reviews already, while Wataru Endo (VfB Stuttgart) might have just turned 31, there’s a real sense they’ve unearthed a valuable engine in defensive midfield with the Japanese international.
Imposing centre-back Jarell Quansah (21) and right-back Conor Bradley (20) have broken through into the senior ranks from their academy, a timely introduction given injuries to Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee) and Andy Robertson (shoulder).
Experienced centre-back Joel Matip (ACL) won’t play again this season, and is out of contract in June too. It means an increasing load on the shoulders of an ageing Virgil van Dijk (32) and Ibrahima Konate while Joe Gomez – not immune to his own troublesome injuries in the past – has utilised his versatility across the back four.
Critics have been less vocal of van Dijk in recent weeks, though questions have been raised about his fading stature, owing to more individual mistakes and father time catching up to a world-class defender whose prime years are behind him.
The benefit of staying at home
Capturing a pair of homegrown talented defenders with Premier League experience in that position is a win-win scenario if successful, at a time where they’ll be under real scrutiny: the 2024-25 campaign will mark their first under new management in nearly a decade as Jurgen Klopp’s impending departure looms large.
While they could find themselves in a race against their domestic rivals to sign Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, Tosin Adarabioyo could be signed on a free transfer this summer after three-and-a-half successful years at Fulham.
The Manchester City academy product, 26, has made 124 appearances and counting in west London after season-long Championship loan spells at West Brom and Blackburn, attracting interest from other clubs in the process.
Tottenham and Monaco have long held an interest, the latter saw multiple bids rebuffed last August, though Fulham’s inability to extend terms with the English youth international means they’ll almost certainly miss out on recouping funds for a reliable defender who ticks multiple boxes for every interested suitor.
By contrast, £60m is the figure being quoted as Palace’s asking price for a player they naturally don’t want to sell in Chelsea academy graduate Guehi, 23, who made his England debut during the 2022-23 season and has featured more prominently in recent months at international level under Gareth Southgate’s guidance.
Quickly establishing himself as a mainstay at the heart of defence in south London, the centre-back learned plenty from 18 months on-loan with Swansea before opting against signing a new deal at Chelsea, bravely paying off in the years since.
A wise head on young shoulders, he’s already captained the side multiple times and just underwent minor knee surgery with a two-month recovery timeline. Barring any setbacks, he should return for the final few fixtures of the domestic season before England’s Euro 2024 campaign, setting him up nicely for another important summer.
Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool have been linked, which could create a tug-of-war between them to strengthen Palace’s position given he has two years left on his existing deal and like Adarabioyo recently, no reason why he’d extend.
Picture source: Getty Images
Mo and Sports 