Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk is getting older and 27-year-old defender Joe Gomez has been plagued by injuries at times. Also, 22-year-old defender Jarell Quansah does not feel 100% trusted by coach Arne Slot.
At the moment, only French defender Ibrahima Konate looks like he can be the focal point at centre-back in the medium to long term. In order to move on to the next era, it is a matter of urgency to secure a defender who is at least at a level where he can play regularly.
Interest in various centre-backs has been reported since last summer, but French defender Oumar Solet, who was previously mentioned in reports, has re-emerged as a target and is set to be in contention with Manchester City and Chelsea, according to Italian outlet Sport Italia.
He was at Red Bull Salzburg at the time and has been on the pitch for the Austrian club for a total of 106 games. He has been without a club since September last year, but has been with Udinese since January this year. He has already made 12 appearances.
Liverpool were initially reluctant to make him available for Salzburg, but after seeing his performances in Italy, they have put his name on the list once again. It is also reported that an offer war will begin for the 25-year-old centre-back, starting at 30 million euros.
However, his experience and ability level do not suggest that he will be immediately available for the Premier League.
It is unlikely that he will be a regular contender not only at Liverpool but also at City and Chelsea, and his immediate task is to show his ability in Serie A, where he is trying to make a fresh start.
So, contrary to expectations, will Premier League sides such as Liverpool, City and Chelsea be looking to the Udinese defender as a new centre-back…?