Jürgen Klopp announced a few weeks ago that Liverpool would like to change some things on the transfer market in the summer – not just in midfield. The German coach can also use at least some improvement on the defensive with 42 goals conceded after 35 games.
Especially the future of Joel Matip is uncertain – sources have SPOX reveal that it is increasingly likely that the 31-year-old will leave the club at the end of the season. Also with Joe Gomez having had a difficult season, Anfield could suddenly need a new centre-back capable of challenging and possibly replacing Virgil van Dijk in the years to come – or at least his neighbor Ibrahim Konaté.
But who should the Reds have on their list? SPOX takes a look at some of the potential candidates…
Joško Gvardiol
Gvardiol from Leipzig excelled at the World Cup in Qatar and is also impressive in the Bundesliga. In the summer he will certainly take the step to an even bigger club.
The Croatian could cost up to 90 million euros – but that would probably be too much for Liverpool.
Premier League rivals Manchester City and Chelsea are also said to be interested in Gvardiol, who plays at left centre-back and has also been featured at left-back on occasion.
Levi Colwill
Brighton players are popular with big clubs this summer, including Liverpool. The Reds have made midfielder Alexis Mac Allister one of their top targets and are also big Colwill fans. The Englishman, on loan from Chelsea, has impressed during his loan spell at Brighton.
The 20-year-old is seen as a future England international and has the potential to play at the highest level. His speed and calmness on the ball set him apart. The Blues can keep any player they want, but if they don’t see Colwill as good enough, he could be a sell-off to finance the purchase of more stars.
Word at Stamford Bridge is that Colwill will be part of the Blues squad next season. But he probably wants commitment guarantees. Should he not get this, he could opt for another loan or a change.
Antonio Silva
Silva had an outstanding Champions League season as a regular at Benfica and was also allowed to play for Portugal due to his performances.
The international, just 19, seems destined for a long career at the highest level and clearly has the skills to play in the Premier League.
But, as Liverpool found when Darwin Núñez signed last summer, Benfica are a tough proposition to negotiate. Silva will be anything but cheap.
Jurrien Timber
If recent reports from the Netherlands are to be believed, Liverpool could soon welcome another Dutchman to their squad alongside Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo. At just 21 years old, Timber from Ajax Amsterdam not only has huge potential but also plenty of experience with the professionals. He’s a sure-footed centre-back who’s also played at right-back – so he could stand in for Trent Alexander-Arnold as well.
At 1.82 meters, he’s not the tallest and his transfer fee doesn’t have to skyrocket either. Its market value is around 40 million euros.
Gonçalo Inácio
Inácio, another Portuguese talent, has played more than 100 games for Sporting CP and his performances this season suggest a move is imminent.
Newcastle and Manchester United have also been linked with the 21-year-old, who is rumored to cost around €50m. Liverpool were actually eyeing another Sporting player, Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte, but it would be a surprise if the Reds weren’t also smitten with Inácio.
Kim Min Jae
Kim Min-jae is one of the stars of Napoli, who have already triumphed in Serie A. After moving from Fenerbahce, the tall and powerful South Korean made an immediate impact in his first season in Italy.
The 26-year-old is said to have a €53m release clause in his Napoli contract but the newly-crowned champions are obviously keen on keeping Kim.
Should he be on the market this summer, numerous clubs would certainly be interested in him. Paris Saint-Germain are also among the clubs that have already been linked with him.
Nayef Aguerd
Aguerd has established himself at West Ham in recent weeks despite a difficult start with a number of injuries.
The 27-year-old Moroccan international cost the Hammers around €38m last summer and would certainly fetch even more if sold on. His size, aggressiveness and speed could make him more than interesting for a club like Liverpool.
Marc Guéhi
Guéhi is another Premier League option for the LFC. Since joining Crystal Palace from Chelsea, he has established himself as a consistent performer. He has also recently been linked with a move to Arsenal.
The 22-year-old is a good all-rounder and won three caps for England in 2022 – but he wasn’t allowed to go to Qatar for the World Cup. He has missed just three games in total over the past two seasons – Liverpool could almost always count on him.
Jarrad Branthwaite
No player has moved from Everton to Liverpool since Abel Xavier in 2002 – but could that be about to change? Branthwaite, 20, has spent this season on loan at PSV Eindhoven, where he also played alongside Cody Gakpo. His performances have caught the attention of Liverpool scouts.
Of course, signing him would still be difficult as Everton are likely to want to keep the England Under-20 international, much less sell him to their arch-rivals.
