Let’s be honest with ourselves: last season was painful to watch. To go from standing at the very top of English football to barely scraping a fifth-place finish just a single year later was a total fall from grace.
The standards slipped massively, and as fans, we were well within our rights to demand immediate action from the board.
The main culprit behind that collapse was obvious to anyone watching every week a nightmare injury crisis.
Our backline was torn to shreds, forcing the management into desperate measures. We ended up seeing players like Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai forced to play out of position at right-back. While you can’t fault their work rate or commitment, both are natural midfielders and were clearly uncomfortable filling in on the flank.
Fortunately, the supporters' frustration was heard, and three fresh faces have already walked through the doors at Anfield. But with time remaining in the summer transfer window, the business is far from done.
The depth at right-back remains a massive concern. Conor Bradley is sidelined for several months with a serious injury, and Jeremie Frimpong’s fitness record since arriving last summer hasn’t given anyone total peace of mind.
Meanwhile, Joe Gomez’s unreliability due to recurring fitness struggles means we simply cannot rely on him as a full-time solution.
To address the centre-back crisis, Liverpool completed a season-long loan move for Ronald Araújo from Barcelona, bolstering the defensive options available to Andoni Iraola.
While Araújo is a versatile top-class defender who can fill in at right-back if needed, the fact that young talents Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni have never played a single minute of Premier League football means Araújo is expected to be Virgil van Dijk’s primary partner in the middle.
That leaves him out of the equation for right-back duties, leaving us right back where we started.
This brings us to the latest reports coming out of Spain. According to Sport, Liverpool are eyeing up a move for Barcelona’s 20-year-old defender Héctor Fort.
Hailed as an "exceptional" talent by former Barcelona manager Xavi, Fort spent last season on loan at Elche. Despite a frustrating shoulder injury that limited him to just 17 appearances across all competitions, he still managed an impressive return of five goal contributions.
When comparing Fort to other right-backs, the numbers paint a clear picture. He stands out for his willingness to drive forward and win the ball high up the pitch.
While data from FotMob indicates he still rates uncomfortably low on core defensive metrics like tackles and interceptions, his ceiling and versatility capable of playing comfortably on both the right and left flanks make him a very intriguing prospect.
A loan deal buys Liverpool crucial time while Connor Bradley recovers, without forcing the club into an immediate full-transfer commitment.
A crowded race for the youngster's signature
While Liverpool’s interest is clear, we aren't the only ones watching. A host of clubs including Inter Milan, Fulham, and Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with the youngster.
However, reports suggest that our Merseyside rivals Everton might actually "present the most attractive offer for all parties" if they can guarantee him immediate starting minutes.
Going back a couple of seasons, Fort was viewed inside La Masia as the absolute future at right-back for Barcelona. However, with fellow prospect Xavi Espart recently overtaking him in the pecking order, Barcelona are ready to let him move on.
Both the player and the club are desperate for a quick resolution, with sources noting that the current uncertainty is "not comfortable" for anyone involved.
If Liverpool want to protect themselves from another disastrous injury crisis and give Iraola the full defensive depth he needs to compete, sealing a move for Héctor Fort could be one of the smartest pieces of late-window business we make.
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