Liverpool surely have to bring in a centre-back this season after their vulnerability in the backline got exposed during the pre-season game.
Despite spending over £250m this summer, Liverpool’s defeat against AC Milan in the pre-season friendly in Hong Kong exposed the defensive problems. Although after the game, Arne Slot said about the CBs: “We have enough options but it is true that Jarell Quansah left and we haven’t replaced him yet.”
The PL Champions have already sold Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen this summer. Although the club have a buy-back option to bring him back, it won’t be available until 2027.
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Current centre-back options in the Liverpool squad
Liverpool currently have 3 major centre-back options in the team. The 34-year-old and Reds captain Virgil van Dijk is the leader of the team and the backline.
But looking at Van Dijk’s age, it would be difficult to manage his game time throughout the season to prevent injury. On the other hand, his backline partner, Ibrahima Konate, faced some discomfort during the game against AC Milan.
Although there are no reports of any fresh injuries or official updates, it remains a concern. Meanwhile, the third defender available is Joe Gomez.
Gomez has been injury-prone over the last few years. He missed 137 days last season due to injuries. Relying on him as a first-choice backup might cost Liverpool heavily in the upcoming season.
The Merseyside club might be willing to go for a defender late in the summer transfer window, as multiple reports suggest. Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi is one of the names the Reds are interested in.
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