Former Schalke defender Joel Matip, whose contract expires at the end of the season, is unfortunately out for a long time and will leave Anfield without a contract renewal. Virgil van Dijk is already 32 years old, and although there is no sign of it, it is not surprising that he is beginning to show signs of a rapid decline.
Liverpool also made a move for a center back last summer, and although Chelsea defender Levi Colwill was considered a priority target, the player ended speculation by signing a long-term contract with the club he grew up with.
Since then, all kinds of center back names have surfaced and disappeared, with Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio at the top of the list, and 24-year-old defender Jean-Clair Todibo of Nice is also rumored to be interested.
According to Nice-Matin, Liverpool is in an advantageous position in the battle for the French defender, with Manchester United, Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, and others also following the trend.
The paper also says that Jurgen Klopp’s presence, the historic atmosphere of Anfield, and the fact that the club has one of the best squads in the Premier League are appealing to the former Barcelona defender, who will require 60 million euros to acquire this winter.
The presence of a center back of the same age group could also be an attractive factor, as the report also states that he is good friends with Ibrahima Konate, also from Paris.
At this point, there is no impression that they are making a move for any particular defender, and most journalists suggest that they will be quiet in the transfer market this winter.
If they do make a move, they will have to wait until this summer, but will Liverpool move to strengthen their center backs in the first place…?
And is there a future where the target will be a French national team center back…?