Liverpool are set to signal a brand new centre-back this summer time with Lille teen Leny Yoro a recognized goal, however who else might the membership goal for the place?
Having seen Joel Matip depart on the expiry of his contract, the Reds head into the switch window one brief in terms of centre-back.
It could possibly be argued that the squad Arne Slot has inherited solely has three specialist senior choices, with Joe Gomez‘s versatility seeing him play the vast majority of his video games at full-back.
There ought to be no shock, then, that centre-back is a precedence place for Liverpool to fill forward of the brand new marketing campaign.
However who could possibly be introduced in to affix Virgil van Dijk, Jarell Quansah and Ibrahima Konate this summer time?
Leny Yoro (Lille)
Age: 18Nationality: France
French teenager Yoro is the obvious candidate, following studies that Liverpool are “actively pursuing” a deal for the breakthrough expertise.
Having already performed 60 instances for Lille and now within the provisional France U23 squad for the Olympics, Yoro is nearer to the Van Dijk mould than the front-footed type of Konate and Quansah.
It makes him an attention-grabbing candidate as long-term successor to the Liverpool captain, although a deal this summer time is probably not easy.
Actual Madrid are believed to be main the race, whereas Man United and Paris Saint-Germain are additionally credited with an curiosity.
Jean-Clair Todibo (OGC Good)
Age: 24Nationality: France
One other Frenchman who could possibly be thought-about is Todibo, who was touted with a transfer to Anfield as way back as 2018, when he himself was 18 and nonetheless with Toulouse.
Now 24, the 6’3″ defender has taken in a irritating spell at Barcelona that noticed him loaned to Schalke, Benfica after which OGC Good, the place he lastly settled completely in 2021.
Anticipated to depart Good, Todibo is an front-footed centre-back who’s extraordinarily snug in possession, rating within the elite percentile amongst his friends for passes tried (96th), progressive passes (eighty fifth), progressive carries (83rd) and profitable take-ons (96th).
With no consideration-sided defender, that might make him a really perfect alternative for Matip, competing with an injury-prone Konate.
Willian Pacho (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Age: 22Nationality: Ecuador
Repeatedly linked within the German press, hypothesis over Liverpool and Frankfurt defender Pacho has “substance,” in line with Merseyside journalist Neil Jones.
Whether or not that will lead to a transfer is unclear, but it surely stands to motive why the 22-year-old Ecuador worldwide can be thought-about.
Pacho is especially dominant on the bottom and is robust in possession, which suggests he might settle in rapidly inside the system employed by Slot.
A price ticket within the area of £43 million might make the deal a possible one.
Ousmane Diomande (Sporting CP)
Age: 20Nationality: Ivory Coast
One other reliably reported goal is Sporting CP’s Diomande, with This Is Anfield‘s David Lynch amongst these to verify the membership’s curiosity in January.
Diomande is considered an identical expertise to Yoro, a part of the brand new breed of elite-level centre-backs within the making, so it is sensible that Liverpool can be monitoring him.
The 20-year-old is a pure right-sided centre-back, and once more, may be very snug on the ball: 94th percentile for passes tried, 97th for go completion, 91st for progressive passes and eightieth for progressive carries.
One pink flag, nonetheless, can be Diomande’s standing as an Ivory Coast worldwide, which raises the chance of shedding him for durations mid-season for the Africa Cup of Nations – but it surely ought to be famous the subsequent match shall be held in the summertime.
Levi Colwill (Chelsea)
Age: 21Nationality: England
Following final summer time’s saga, Colwill would usually not be deemed a viable choice, however the truth his identify has begun popping up once more suggests the Englishman could possibly be open to a transfer.
Having misplaced his place within the Chelsea facet in direction of the tip of final season, he has once more been linked with a swap to Anfield, whereas Bayern Munich have been credited with an curiosity too.
Although nonetheless unlikely, signing Colwill can be a coup for Liverpool, as he’s poised to interrupt via as a trendy left centre-back and is eligible as a homegrown participant.
If attainable, it’s a deal that these at Anfield would certainly bounce at.
Nico Schlotterbeck (Dortmund)
Age: 24Nationality: Germany
The primary defender on this checklist who has not been touted with a transfer to Anfield, however Schlotterbeck would undoubtedly pop up in Liverpool’s search in terms of information.
He’s within the excessive percentile for each ball-playing metric together with tackles (93rd), interceptions (71st) and blocks (87th), having shone with Dortmund within the marketing campaign simply gone.
There isn’t any indication that he would push to depart the Champions League finalists, however Schlotterbeck would probably be thought-about if out there.
Ronald Araujo (Barcelona)
Age: 25Nationality: Uruguay
After agreeing diminished phrases on his deal in 2022, Araujo might reportedly now be bought this summer time to deal with Barcelona’s ongoing monetary points.
If that’s the case, Liverpool ought to be within the dialog for a participant who has been linked with the likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Man United and Aston Villa.
Lightning quick and bodily imposing, Araujo makes use of his aggression to dominate in a excessive line, whereas he’s robust on the ball and, crucially, within the air too.
Worldwide team-mates with Darwin Nunez, the Uruguayan can be an thrilling addition to the Liverpool defensive ranks.
Odilon Kossounou (Bayer Leverkusen)
Bundesliga within the bag ???? #OK6 pic.twitter.com/F4vD49Pajj
— Odilon Kossounou (@OdilonKossounou) Might 18, 2024
Age: 23Nationality: Ivory Coast
Diomande’s fellow Ivorian, Kossounou performed a job in Bayer Leverkusen’s exceptional double-winning marketing campaign underneath Xabi Alonso as a progressive proper centre-back.
Per Transfermarkt’s Stefan Bienkowski, nonetheless, Leverkusen are “not adversarial to promoting on the proper value” as they really feel “he wouldn’t be exhausting to exchange.”
Whereas that signifies that he is probably not a high choice for a membership like Liverpool, there may be proof that Kossounou has the upside to develop inside Slot’s squad.
David Hancko (Feyenoord)
Age: 26Nationality: Slovakia
Slot’s transfer from Feyenoord to Liverpool has introduced a lot of predictable hyperlinks together with his former gamers, together with goalkeeper Justin Bijlow, defender Lutsharel Geertruida and midfielder Mats Wieffer.
Hyperlinks with Hancko could possibly be extra comprehensible, with the brand new head coach having seen him turn into a number one centre-back throughout their time in Rotterdam.
The Slovak has performed 93 instances in his two seasons to date at Feyenoord, together with his capability to carry the ball out of defence from his left-sided function a key outlet for the Dutch facet.
Hancko’s agent has already claimed Liverpool’s curiosity, when talking to TN.cz in January, and the arrival of Slot might solely improve that.
Piero Hincapie (Bayer Leverkusen)
Age: 22Nationality: Ecuador
Hincapie could possibly be equally helpful as Hancko, in that the Ecuadorian is able to enjoying each centre-back and left-back and, subsequently, would assist a shift in emphasis to that facet.
Nonetheless solely 22, Hincapie has performed 119 instances for Leverkusen together with 43 appearances of their triumphant season final trip, changing into a key participant for Alonso.
His agent has additionally cited curiosity from Anfield, with Manuel Sierra claiming “they selected to put money into the midfield” as a substitute final summer time, earlier than naming a price ticket of at the very least €50 million (£42.3m).
