Liverpool told to attempt Premier League swap deal to solve Arne Slot transfer problem

Liverpool will need to reshape its defense in the coming months because of injuries but Arne Slot is also interested in Marc Guehi and may need another signing too

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot during the FA Cup tie against Barnsley.(Image: MB Media/Getty Images)

Whatever happens with the future of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, Liverpool will need to sign a senior center-back this summer to bolster Arne Slot's options.

If Ibrahima Konate moves on at the end of his contract — which, as things stand, he will do — then the Reds might even need to sign two players in that position. Giovanni Leoni will not be forgotten, but Joe Gomez has struggled to maintain fitness consistently and Virgil van Dijk's contract only runs until 2027.

With that in mind, the center of its defense is likely to be an area that Liverpool focuses on in the next few months. It is the position where the most amount of work is required.

"Liverpool must identify a replacement for Ibrahima Konate if he leaves, especially because I don’t think Virgil van Dijk will be far behind him," the former Reds striker Stan Collymore told BetWright this week.

"I know there’s been talk of Marc Guehi, but I’m looking at someone like Ezri Konsa, who’s probably going to start for England at the World Cup alongside John Stones.

"If I was head of recruitment at Liverpool, I think Konsa and Guehi would both be deals that provide good value for money. Aston Villa have PSR issues that they need to address, so if they were to get a big fee for Konsa, they might have to consider it."

Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Whoever it is that Liverpool looks at — Borussia Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck has also been linked in some quarters — Konate's future will play a part.

"For me, Konate thinks he’s the best defender since sliced bread, but he hasn’t played like it recently," Collymore continued. "I’m sure he’s thinking he’ll be going to the likes of PSG or Real Madrid.

"But could there be a swap deal where Konsa goes to Liverpool and Konate goes to Aston Villa? That would be something that would work for both parties.

"A lot depends on Konate — if he plays like he was last season, then he should be able to attract an elite Champions League club.

"However, if his form continues to be scratchy, there’s no guarantee he’ll move to a club of that caliber. That’s where the likes of Villa or Newcastle could potentially strike a deal with Liverpool."

Liverpool.com says: Konate has not been in the best of form this season, but he has improved of late. He still has all the raw materials to be a world-class center-back.

Should the Frenchman depart, it would be fascinating to see where he ended up. Liverpool keeping him, though, should be the preferred outcome, with someone else — ideally Guehi — arriving as well.