While much focus continues to be on Liverpool's pursuit of high-profile wingers, their need for a new centre-back, possibly even more than one, is arguably even greater. Well, have the Reds identified two potential targets?
As reported by Graeme Bailey of Team Talk, Liverpool are "actively exploring" the market in search of an "experienced centre-back", with head coach Andoni Iraola having made it abundantly clear that he needs "greater defensive depth". Thus, Bailey claims that the Reds have stepped up their interest in John Stones. The 32 year old is an "attractive option", given that he is a free agent, having departed Manchester City. Meantime, Fabrizio Romano has reported that Juventus and Inter Milan are also in discussion with Stones, with Arsenal and Chelsea in the race.
Liverpool's other centre-back target in purportedly Ezri Konsa. Bailey labels the Aston Villa defender a "genuine option", believing that his "versatility" is especially of interest to Iraola. It has previously been reported that Arsenal are strongly interested in Konsa, needing to replace the injured William Saliba, willing to pay as much as £35 million, albeit the Villans are holding out for closer to £60 million. So, if it is a choice between these two England internationals, which one should Liverpool go for?
Should Liverpool sign John Stones or Ezri Konsa?
From an economic point of view, signing Stones makes sense, considering he is currently without a club. Were he to sign, he would join a very select group of players to represent both Liverpool and Everton. In the 21st century, only Abel Xavier, Nick Barmby, Conor Coady and Sander Westerveld have done this on the men's side.
Stones has obviously been a top-class defender, but is he still that? Well, in the Premier League last season, after starting Manchester City's first three matches, he started just twice more, both against Aston Villa, once in October and then again in a final day dead-rubber. At the World Cup, after rusty display against Croatia, he was taken out of the team by Thomas Tuchel, before returning to start the quarter-finals and semi due to limited options. Whether Stones can be fit enough to be a regular starter thereby remains a mystery, so whoever signs him would be taking a gamble.
So, what about Konsa? Well, considering he is 28 years old and has just two years remaining on his contract, the reported £60 million price tag placed on his head is astronomical. Konsa is clearly a solid defender, able to start at both centre-back and right-back, two problem positions in this Liverpool squad that need fixing, but is not worth allocating such enormous resources too. Thus, neither represent a perfect solution, hence why Richard Hughes may need to widen his search.
Why Liverpool are targeting a new centre-back
Throughout last season, Liverpool were already short of a central defensive option, and that is yet to be addressed. Jérémy Jacquet has arrived from Stade Rennais for £60 million but, in pure numbers terms, is simply replacing compatriot Ibrahima Konaté, who has joined Real Madrid on a Bosman. Those in attendance at Liverpool's first pre-season fixture against Sunderland in Nashville on Saturday were hoping to see Jacquet for the first time, but he was not even on the bench at Geodis Park, with Iraola confirming why:
"With Jérémy we decided to take it easy with him. He's had a lot of months without playing and he's been training very well, but we're going to take it easy with him. "
After putting pen to paper in January, Jacquet was loaned back to Rennes, but only played for les Rouge et Noirs a couple more times, suffering a season-ending shoulder injury against Lens in February. Thus, having not played subsequently, it is easy to understand why Iraola is being cautious.
Meantime, just eight minutes into last weekend's fixture in Tennessee, Joe Gomez suffered a muscle injury, forced off, which Iraola described as "probably the worst news". Thus, for the last two matches of the United States tour, he is very light on centre-backs. Virgil van Dijk will not travel stateside, instead reporting to AXA Training Centre this week to manage his workload. Meanwhile, Giovanni Leoni is with the squad, but remains a few weeks away from being available, after rupturing his ACL on debut in the EFL Cup against Southampton in September.
Thus, as was the case following Gomez's withdrawal, teenagers Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe are set to start at centre-back against Wrexham at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. Even then, the latter, who has just arrived from Austrian Wien for £2.6 million, will need to be loaned out soon, unable to feature in competitive matches as he does not qualify for a UK work permit. Thus, whether it is Stones, Konsa, Illya Zabarnyi, whose name has also been mentioned, or indeed someone else, Liverpool need to recruit a new centre-back sooner rather than later.
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