Liverpool gets chance to snap up $72M defender as transfer stance changes

Liverpool may need to dip into the market for another center-back this summer, depending on what happens regarding contract talks with Ibrahima Konate at Anfield

Castello Lukeba of RB Leipzig during a Bundesliga game against Hoffenheim(Image: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

It remains to be seen whether or not Ibrahima Konate will extend his stay at Liverpool beyond the end of this season, but should the French international move on, a replacement would be required.

So far, while talks have been held with Konate's representatives, no breakthrough has been made in negotiations. And while Jeremy Jacquet has been snapped up ahead of the summer for a fee of around $83 million (£60 million) and Giovanni Leoni should be back from his ACL injury, another option will be required if Konate leaves.

Joe Gomez has had injury troubles in the last few years and Arne Slot's roster has already looked light of numbers at times this season, so the Reds cannot leave themselves short.

According to Sky Germany, RB Leipzig would be willing to sell Castello Lukeba — a center-back linked with a move to Liverpool or the Premier League several times before — when the summer comes.

Capped six times by France, Lukeba has played almost 100 games for Leipzig since he moved to Germany from Lyon three years ago, establishing himself as a strong Bundesliga stalwart.

While Lukeba has a $92 million (£70 million) release clause, it is suggested that Leipzig would sooner sanction a deal for around $72 million (£55 million) because it would rather lose the defender than Yan Diomande.

RB Leipzig center-back Castello Lukeba(Image: Inaki Esnaola/Getty Images)

Diomande, of course, is another to have been linked with a transfer move to Anfield. But only a year after he moved to Leipzig from Spain, the Red Bull club is desperate to keep him for another 12 months before he inevitably departs.

Nico Schlotterbeck, the Borussia Dortmund center-back, has also been linked with Liverpool. Signing a more experienced option, should Konate leave, would alleviate the pressure on Jacquet (20) and Leoni (19) to perform straight away.

Last week, it was reported in Germany that a contract extension for Schlotterbeck was close. However, the player himself, while on international duty with his country, then said that is not the case.

"I must clearly deny that," he insisted. "Unfortunately, we haven't reached that point."

Things have been complicated by the departure of Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl, who has been replaced by Ole Book.

"I probably would have made a decision in the next few weeks [but] I negotiated with Sebastian for a long time and he's no longer there [at Dortmund]," Schlotterbeck explained.

"I have to see. I will hold talks with Ole, but it's not time yet. It's bad for the BVB fans right now. But it's not an easy situation for me either."