1 week ago
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Liverpool finished its official preseason schedule yesterday with a double-header against Athletic Club. The less experienced side recorded the more emphatic win for Arne Slot, but Hugo Ekitike was certainly a bright spark in the senior team's 3-2 victory.
Lining up ahead of an attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Florian Wirtz, and Cody Gakpo, the newest signing was parachuted straight into the full-strength XI, a variant of which is likely to step out for the Community Shield at the weekend. And while he didn't find the net (Gakpo scored three out of the five total goals, with a brace and an own goal), the Frenchman certainly looked right at home.
Effectively swapped in directly for Darwin Nunez, who is edging closer to a move to Saudi Arabia, Ekitike showed glimpses of what Liverpool has been missing for the past three seasons. Yet despite these promising signs, Alexander Isak continues to be linked heavily with a move to Anfield.
In terms of the latest state of play, Isak's agent was rumored to be at Anfield, having previously said that the striker was close to taking "the next step" in his career. Meanwhile, Newcastle is pushing hard for Benjamin Sesko, who could plausibly be lined up as the replacement at St James' Park.
Questioning whether Isak is truly a priority after a couple of promising Ekitike outings would be madness. Or at least, it would take a particular commitment to negativity, given the natural feeling of excitement that comes with Liverpool actively pursuing genuine world-beaters.
Nevertheless, Ekitike was a reminder that Liverpool's attack is already in more than decent shape. In truth, Rio Ngumoha provided a similar prompt; he has shown throughout preseason that he is ready to play some kind of part.
The biggest issues for Arne Slot have come at the other end of the pitch. The second-string side managed to only ship one to Athletic Club, despite an absurdly improvised center-back pairing of Andy Robertson and Trey Nyoni, while the first team conceded twice in somewhat uninspiring fashion.
Even the senior side had to put Wataru Endo to work in the back line, with Virgil van Dijk unwell and Joe Gomez injured. The season hasn't even started yet, and Liverpool has already found itself temporarily down to one recognized senior center-back (who, incidentally, is in the midst of an unfolding contract saga).
So while I will certainly not be enough of a fun sponge to suggest Isak is not a transfer priority, it's clear he is not the only priority. Adding elite talent should always be toward the top of the to-do list, but Slot cannot afford to stack his attack and simply disregard the heart of his defense.
The Community Shield will be treated almost like the final preseason outing, but then things get really serious for Liverpool, and the defense could do with some reinforcements by then. Here are three options for Slot to consider.
Marc Guehi - The Safe Option
Earlier in the summer, a deal for Marc Guehi was being treated almost like a done deal by some. But as the transfer window has trudged on, that sense of inevitability has ebbed.
There is still a lot that makes sense about a possible move. Guehi is into the last year of his contract, with no apparent intention of renewing, so this is Crystal Palace's last chance to make decent money on one of its prized assets.
From Liverpool's perspective, the 25-year-old would be ready to go straight away. He has already proven himself to a high level in the Premier League, and having also been educated in a possession-oriented Chelsea setup, any bedding-in period at Anfield would be minimal.
It will ultimately come down to whether Liverpool or Palace are prepared to move from their respective valuations. Both are perfectly within their rights to hold their ground; the Reds will not overpay for someone who will be available for nothing in 12 months, but the Eagles would rather keep him for their first-ever European campaign than let him go for a discount.
Other suitors could yet influence the equation, with Newcastle said to be interested. If it bids higher than Liverpool is prepared to go, Slot will need to look elsewhere — but if a deal can be done, this is surely the lowest-risk option.
Konstantinos Koulierakis - The Youngster
Another to have been linked with Liverpool, per the Daily Mail, Konstantinos Koulierakis would be more of a depth signing than Guehi in the short term. But that's not necessarily an issue.
After all, Van Dijk's new two-year deal reflects Liverpool's faith that he can remain at a high level for that length of time. Barring major transfer drama, Konate still has at least one year left.
And while Gomez's injury record certainly cannot be relied upon, that's a stable of three excellent center-backs. Endo as an emergency option is more than competent.
So a young, promising defender who could initially slot in at fourth in the pecking order would tick plenty of boxes. There is a lot to like about Koulierakis of Wolfsburg.
A left-footer, he would bring some long-discussed "balance" to Liverpool's build-up from the back. Of course, having Van Dijk as the left-sided defender does not seem to have penalized the Reds over the years, but a "true" leftie could make sense when thinking about long-term replacements.
Capped 14 times by Greece, he only swapped his homeland for the Bundesliga last season. But his talent has translated well to one of Europe's top five leagues.
Tosin Adarabioyo - The Wildcard
Signing Tosin Adarabioyo would require at least a small slice of humble pie for Liverpool. He was, after all, available on a free transfer from Fulham last season.
Despite the looming need for reinforcements, the Reds did not act decisively as Tosin was snapped up by Chelsea. And he settled in well at Stamford Bridge, starting more often than not.
Yet despite that, Chelsea is willing to let him go, per Football Insider. It has been floating him as a potential option in a Morgan Rogers swap.
Per FBref, Tosin's most similar defender in the top five leagues is Konate. He is highly assured on the ball and physical enough to be a major set-piece threat.
At 27, Tosin would be an immediate option rather than a majorly long-term play. But at the right price, he would fit in nicely at Liverpool, although links have not yet materialized.
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