Amid ongoing links with Marc Guehi, Liverpool are also reportedly interested in another centre-back from outside the Premier League.
Having already made new additions in both full-back positions this summer, the Reds are now targeting a central defensive acquisition, with the Premier League champions expected to step up their pursuit of the Crystal Palace star in the coming days (Fabrizio Romano).
He isn’t the only centre-back on Richard Hughes’ radar, though, with reports from France highlighting another such target at Anfield.
Liverpool interested in Castello Lukeba
According to Foot Mercato, Liverpool are among the clubs taking an interest in RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba, who’s also being sought by Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur.
The 22-year-old is open to leaving the Red Bull-owned outfit and has a release clause of €90m (£77.8m), although he has an informal agreement with his employers that he could be sold for less than that amount, thus giving prospective suitors scope for negotiation on a player with four years remaining on his contract.
Would Lukeba be a worthy alternative to Guehi for Liverpool?
The sale of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday leaves Liverpool needing to bring in a centre-back replacement so that they’re not at risk of leaving themselves short in that part of the squad, where Arne Slot currently has just three senior options.
Guehi’s proven experience in the Premier League would make him the ideal candidate to fill the void, as would his homegrown status (the Reds are sailing dangerously close to the wind in that regard). On both of those fronts, he has an immediate advantage over Lukeba.
If the Palace defender were to prove unattainable, though, what qualities might be leading LFC towards his RB counterpart instead?
As per FBref, the 6 foot 1 Frenchman excels with the ball at his feet. His match average of 0.97 succesful take-ons per 90 minutes placed him in the top 1% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues last season, while he also ranked in the top 12% and 20% respectively with his match averages for progressive passes (4.56) and carries (1.15).
Meanwhile, his profile on the official Bundesliga website describes him as a ‘very modern left-sided central defender’ who’s proficient in his ‘reading of the game, timing in the tackle, physicality and ability to distribute the ball from the back’, qualities which could make him an ideal fit for Slot’s Liverpool side.
Lukeba’s openness to leaving Leipzig – a club with whom the Reds have done plenty of business in recent years – could also work in our favour, if Hughes were to seriously pursue a move for the 22-year-old.
Guehi remains the golden goose when it comes to prospective centre-back recruitment, but if LFC are unable to land him, then his French counterpart seems quite worthy of consideration as a Plan B.
