Former Schalke defender Joel Matip, a long-time stalwart of Liverpool’s final line, has left Anfield, while team captain Virgil van Dijk, now 33, is beginning to see the end of his career.
Liverpool had been targeting the left-back before the start of last season and looked set to land the defender earlier this summer, but have not been heard from as of yet. The highly-rated 22-year-old defender Sepp van den Berg, who was on loan at Mainz last season, appears to have dropped down the priority list.
Nevertheless, strengthening the centre-backs is inevitable and a number of defenders are on the list. Eintracht Frankfurt’s 22-year-old defender Willian Pacho is one of the targets, and according to The Independent, interest in the player has not diminished even now.
In the 2023/24 season, the Ecuadorian defender made 33 appearances in the Bundesliga. He has also been a mainstay of the team in the Conference League, where he has started six matches, and has also made his debut for his country’s full national team in March 2023, where he has featured in 16 matches.
The defender, who can play at left-back, is a modern centre-back with good speed and ball-handling skills, and has plenty of experience on the European stage, including at his previous club, Royal Antwerp.
So will the 22-year-old centre-back be playing at Anfield next season…?