With Jarell Quansah now having joined Bayer Leverkusen, it would beryllium a large gamble for Liverpool to caput into the caller play without signing different center-back to regenerate him.
Though Arne Slot did usage Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo astatine the backmost astatine times past season, fundamentally having lone Joe Gomez successful reserve — who spent a important clip connected the attraction table past word — would beryllium a risk. Liverpool would similar to situation connected each fronts, and having 4 elder defenders is the norm.
In summation to Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi, who has been considered arsenic 1 enactment for Liverpool, RB Leipzig center-back Castello Lukeba has besides returned to the rumor mill this week. But who is he?
Lukeba is simply a 22-year-old French defender, with Foot Mercato reporting that Liverpool could drawback him up for little than his $106 cardinal (£78 million) merchandise clause, acknowledgment to a gentleman's statement with Leipzig for him to permission for less.
The subordinate would similar to marque the adjacent measurement successful his vocation this summer, with Bayern Munich and Tottenham besides said to beryllium keen connected him. Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid person besides antecedently been linked.
Lukeba is simply a erstwhile Lyon subordinate who made the determination to Germany successful 2023. He has represented France successful a assortment of younker property groups (including astatine this summer's U21 European Championship) and besides erstwhile astatine elder level.
He has besides racked up plentifulness of elder acquisition contempt lone turning 23 aboriginal this year. Lukeba has made much than 100 appearances successful Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga, arsenic good arsenic playing 18 games successful either the Champions League oregon the Europa League.
With the Bundesliga's authoritative website describing Lukeba arsenic a "very modern left-sided cardinal defender" who has fantabulous skills erstwhile it comes to "reading of the game, timing successful the tackle, physicality and quality to administer the shot from the back", helium could beryllium a bully enactment to consider.
Left-footed, though, helium mightiness conflict for minutes fixed Virgil van Dijk plays connected that broadside of the Liverpool defence and volition proceed to bash truthful for the adjacent 2 years astatine least.
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Center-back is going to beryllium a tricky country for Liverpool to enlistee in. Ibrahima Konate mightiness lone person 1 twelvemonth near connected his contract, but the perfect script would spot him widen his stay.
For now, astatine least, Van Dijk and Konate look similar a hard concern to interruption up. And successful a World Cup year, whoever Liverpool targets is apt to privation regular minutes, alternatively than arriving arsenic a wide 3rd choice.
Price volition besides travel into the equation. It remains to beryllium seen however overmuch Lukeba oregon Guehi would cost, but spending near-record sums connected either subordinate seems unlikely. Instead, Liverpool would beryllium looking for worth and opportunities successful the market.
Liverpool.com says: The Reds request to find a center-back but Guehi, who would beryllium much comfy playing connected the right-hand side, mightiness marque much sense. He would besides travel with the payment of being a homegrown player, too.