As the Reds restructure their roster in preparation for the upcoming season, Liverpool’s hectic summer continues at a rapid pace. The Premier League winners have already acquired goalkeeper Armin Pesci for £1.5 million to join fellow stopper Giorgi Mamardashvilli, whose £29 million transfer from Valencia was arranged last summer, and Jeremie Frimpong for £29.5 million from Bayer Leverkusen.
An agreement has been reached with Bournemouth for Liverpool to sign Milos Kerkez for £40 million, and Florian Wirtz has followed in a stunning deal from Leverkusen that could end up being worth a British record £116 million.
That’s not all, though. In an agreement that could allow the Reds to add a defender to their roster this summer, Leverkusen and Liverpool are once again negotiating the signing of center-back Jarell Quansah for £35 million.
If the Reds and Crystal Palace can agree on a reasonable price, Marc Guehi is a target, but who else might be on their radar? Our authors have a voice.
It’s debatable if it was a good idea to sell Jarell Quansah without having a clear replacement in mind. However, the Reds have gained the confidence on this one due to the success of the previous season under the leadership of Richard Hughes and Arne Slot.
Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi is a player of interest, but since he will be 25 next month, any agreement with the Eagles would need to be on a reduced price because he is nearing the end of his contract at Selhurst Park.
Liverpool is giving priority to a younger defender, but their long-term search for a replacement for Virgil van Dijk in the upcoming years hasn’t produced any results as of yet.
Dean Huijsen, who joined Real Madrid from Bournemouth when his £50 million release clause was activated, was the most recent of those. The Reds are obviously searching for a ready-made player who can start right away and develop into a talisman at the back in the long run.
Is it possible that this search will only lead them to Hill Dickinson Stadium a few miles away? For Everton supporters, the Reds’ pursuit of Jarrad Branthwaite may be a no-brainer, but if Liverpool believes the England international is the right man, they shouldn’t let city rivalries get in the way.
Liverpool has attempted to bolster their center-back position for the third consecutive summer. However, the departure of Jarell Quansah will put a little more pressure on them this year to resupply Arne Slot’s hand after they were unable to land their desired targets in the past, namely Levi Colwill and Leny Yoro.
In actuality, the Reds have been able to stick with their current options after being let down in the transfer market each of the past two summers thanks to Quansah’s presence.
Liverpool is ultimately leveraging the potential they already had within their ranks, even though they are still searching for a young center-back with a high ceiling.
That is perfectly acceptable. Despite his high rating and prior predictions as Virgil van Dijk’s long-term replacement, Quansah has had a challenging season.
He struggled to regain form after losing his spot at the start of the campaign. Moving to Leverkusen might be the best option for everyone if he were to stay on the fringes in the upcoming season.
Liverpool has two options now. Choose to sign a more experienced player whose best years are still to come, or go after their next highly regarded center-back with a ton of potential.
Given that his contract is about to expire, Marc Guehi would be in the latter group and there is a market opportunity to sign him. He would be a great addition if he is willing to compete with Ibrahima Konate to start with Van Dijk.
Or, if you’re searching for a younger model, consider Ajax’s Jorrel Hato. The highly regarded 19-year-old, who has been linked to the Reds for several months, can play either left or center back and could strengthen the already formidable Dutch team at Anfield.
On a more impractical level, Liverpool might instead attempt to entice Pau Cubarsi to leave Barcelona. The 18-year-old Spain international is among the top emerging center backs in the world of football.
That is perfectly acceptable. Despite his high rating and prior predictions as Virgil van Dijk’s long-term replacement, Quansah has had a challenging season.
He struggled to regain form after losing his spot at the start of the campaign. Moving to Leverkusen might be the best option for everyone if he were to stay on the fringes in the upcoming season.
Liverpool has two options now. Choose to sign a more experienced player whose best years are still to come, or go after their next highly regarded center-back with a ton of potential.
Given that his contract is about to expire, Marc Guehi would be in the latter group and there is a market opportunity to sign him. He would be a great addition if he is willing to compete with Ibrahima Konate to start with Van Dijk.
Or, if you’re searching for a younger model, consider Ajax’s Jorrel Hato. The highly regarded 19-year-old, who has been linked to the Reds for several months, can play either left or center back and could strengthen the already formidable Dutch team at Anfield.
On a more impractical level, Liverpool might instead attempt to entice Pau Cubarsi to leave Barcelona. The 18-year-old Spain international is among the top emerging center backs in the world of football.
Given the Catalans’ well-known financial difficulties and their interest in Luis Diaz, Liverpool may have a chance to exploit one of the biggest names in European football.