Premier League Liverpool v Brighton and Hove Albion Arne Slot Head Coach of Liverpool looks dejected during the Premier League match Liverpool vs Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield, Liverpool, United Kingdom, 2nd November 2024 Photo by Cody Froggatt/News Images Liverpool Anfield Merseyside United Kingdom Copyright: Imago Images
The centre-back position has been the most talked about in Liverpool transfer circles. Names of several players have been discussed in recent weeks with each player’s fate coincidentally linked with the other.
Currently Liverpool have four recognised senior centre-backs at their disposal. Club captain Virgil Van Djik leads the pack, followed by Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni. Unfortunately, Leoni is ruled out for the season.
The 18-year old Italian arrived this summer from Parma for a fee of £26m. But in his first outing for the club, Leoni suffered an ACL tear thereby putting him on the medical list. Van Djik and Konate have been the preferred options for quite some time, but Konate’s future is still uncertain at the club.
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Expiring contracts make things tricky
Konate’s current contract expires at the end of the season. Extension talks have also failed to yield any results. With this in mind, Marc Guehi was a replacement option. However that deal fell through at the last moment.
Real Madrid’s interest has also cooled off a bit. They are now considering Dayot Upamecano as the better option. But Liverpool are also in for the current Bayern Munich star. Upamecano’s own deal with the Bavarians runs till mid 2026. Therefore Konate’s contract can trigger a domino effect.
Meanwhile Joe Gomez’s contract runs till 2027. The player has made just two appearances this season. Both off the bench. Injuries marred his chances last term and the future too is not looking bright for the Englishman. But if Konate signs an extension, Gomez will likely move out in the summer.
Marc Guehi situation is now clear
Marc Guehi will leave Crystal Palace at the end of the summer. Eagles manager Oliver Glasner made things clear at the press conference ahead of their game against Bournemouth. A player of Guehi’s calibre will have takers in the market.
Apart from Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona are all monitoring the situation. The England international can be a perfect addition to any of the above clubs, should one of their prime players decide to move on.
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