Joel Matip, a 32-year-old defender who has been out for a long time due to a serious injury, is likely to leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires. 21-year-old defender Jarrell Quansah has emerged and has continued to perform well in the first team, but securing a new center back to fight through a long and difficult season is a high priority.
Liverpool is interested in Ecuadorian defender Piero Hincapié, former England U-21 defender Lloyd Kelly, and Portuguese defender Goncalo Inácio, but is eyeing Bayer Leverkusen, led by Xabi Alonso, as one of the candidates for their new manager.
According to SportBILD, Liverpool are tracking 28-year-old defender Jonathan Tah, who could be available at a bargain price, with the player under contract until 2025 but with an 18 million euro release clause in his remaining 12 months.
Even if it does not amount to a free transfer, the burly center back, who has played over 250 games in the Bundesliga, is believed to be open to a challenge in the Premier League, which presents a big opportunity for Liverpool.
Bayer Leverkusen players who have drawn interest from Liverpool are not limited to the Hamburg-born defender. The aforementioned Hincapie, German midfielder Florian Wirtz, and Dutch defender Jeremy Frimpong are also reportedly targets.
If Xabi Alonso decides to take over at Anfield, it would not be surprising to see a reshuffling of players from current clubs.
Is there really a future for Jonathan Tah to join Liverpool in place of Matip…?