Former Cameroon defender Joel Matip is set to leave Liverpool at the end of the season. Jarell Quansah is on the rise, but the club would like to have a number of centre-backs to fight through a long but tight season.
There is interest in centre-backs who are gaining recognition in the top leagues of European countries, but the name of Sporting’s 20-year-old defender Ousmane Diomande is also frequently mentioned in the media.
Although interest in fellow defender Goncalo Inácio seems to be stronger, Football Transfers reported that the player is being monitored, along with Newcastle United and Chelsea.
He also made his debut for the Ivory Coast national team in September 2023 and played in the Africa Cup of Nations.
He has played a total of more than 50 games for his club, and his valuation has climbed from last year to this year, catapulting him to become one of Europe’s leading young centre-backs.
The paper states that a fee of €80 million is being sought for the transfer, but with a contract that runs until June 2027, there is a risk that the price could be raised even further if a battle involving several clubs is fought over him.
And with his centre-back partner Inácio also rumoured to be on the verge of leaving, the club will not want to lose two centre-backs at the same time.
Will the next generation of defenders, with a strong physique, excellent athleticism to support the defence and the technique required of a modern centre-back, step up from Portugal in this summer’s transfer window?