While there has been much focus on attacking recruits, should Liverpool actually focus on signing new defenders? Right now, the Reds are targeting a double deal to bring in two Paris Saint-Germain attackers, very much holding a long-standing interest in Bradley Barcola, while it was widely reported on Tuesday night that they are also chasing Ibrahim Mbaye.
Attacking signings are always what gets supporters most excited, but is Andoni Iraola actually in need of reinforcements at the back more urgently? With that in mind, Graeme Bailey of Team Talk is reporting that Liverpool have "sounded out" Real Madrid over the possibility of signing Raúl Asencio. He claims that the 23 year old has been informed by new head coach José Mourinho that he is not in his plans, and that the Reds' are "intrigued" by the Spaniard's availability, given that they hold a "long-standing admiration" of the player.
However, the biggest obstacle at the moment is Asencio's desire to remain at the Bernabéu, supposedly "determined to fight for his place". He currently finds himself quite low down their defensive pecking order, below Antonio Rüdiger, Éder Militão, Dean Huijsen and Ibrahima Konaté, who has of course arrived on a free transfer from Liverpool. Thus, this feels like a move that could happen.
Would Raúl Asencio be a good signing for Liverpool?
Had it not been for a defensive injury crisis, Asencio would likely have never played for Real Madrid. Born in the Canary Islands, he joined los Blancos as a 14 year old, not making his senior debut until the age of 21. With Militão and David Alaba sidelined, he was thrust into action by Carlo Ancelotti, making 45 appearances in 2024/25, having come out of nowhere.
His Champions League debut was at Anfield, booked after 13 minutes as the Reds ran out 2-0 winners; Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo on target. Last season, under Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa, his importance did decrease, but he still started 28 times, including 18 La Liga matches.
Stylistically, Asencio is best described as a classic English centre-back. He is not especially good in possession and relishes a battle with a proper old fashioned centre-forward. Thus, he has shown very little to suggest he is up to the standard Real Madrid require, hence why they are willing to let him leave.
A complication is that the 23 year old is actually currently injured. He suffered a "muscle injury in the rectus femoris of his right leg" during a 4-1 pre-season friendly win over Leganés at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano last month, albeit this is not expected to be serious.
Put succinctly, he would not be an upgrade on what Liverpool already have, nor a signing for fans to get excited about, very much a stopgap. You know what they say though about desperate times.
Liverpool's current centre-back injury crisis
During the Reds' pre-season tour of the United States, Iraola did not really have any senior centre-backs available to him. It remains to be seen if that will be the case against Monaco at Anfield on Sunday, with their Premier League opener against Newcastle a mere two and a half weeks away.
Joe Gomez suffered a muscle injury during the first match of the tour, a 4-2 victory over Sunderland in Tennessee, and will be sidelined for at least a few weeks. Elsewhere, Jérémy Jacquet is yet to feature in Liverpool colours, having not played since February following shoulder surgery. Captain Virgil van Dijk is being eased back into action, after his World Cup excretions, while Giovanni Leoni is hoping to be back in September, a year after rupturing his ACL on debut.
Thus, while Asencio is far from the best centre-back in the world, Liverpool currently just need numbers, so could pull the trigger on this deal.
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