Liverpool ready to make €40m bid for colossus that would have Virgil van Dijk effect

Liverpool reportedly want to add to their growing defensive ranks by recruiting Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli, according to a report from Corriere dello Sport.

It's well publicised how defensive injuries decimated Liverpool's chances of winning the Premier League last season.

Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Gomez all suffered season-long injuries while Jurgen Klopp was forced to field 20 different centre-half partnerships.

That was despite the fact that Ben Davies didn't play a single minute of football and so Liverpool went out and spent £36million on Ibou Konate to complete their first signing of the summer.

Corriere dello Sport makes unlikely claim

While they have been reliable at times, Corriere dello Sport have made a bizarre claim, suggesting that the Reds are ready to spending between €35m and €40m to sign Kalidou Koulibaly.

The report goes on to state that Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis will not accept anything less than €50m for Koulibaly despite the Serie A outfit being in financial trouble due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are a number of issues with the Liverpool being linked with Koulibaly not least the fact that the Reds would then have seven senior centre-backs.

Even though Liverpool had an unprecedented injury crisis at the heart of defence last season, there is no need to have seven centre-backs especially when four of them would be world class.

What if Liverpool did sign Koulibaly?

It's probably about three or four years too late but the Senegal defender would likely have a Virgil van Dijk effect on Liverpool's defence.

He's one of the few defenders in the world that could actually improve the Reds as his strength, pace and 1 v 1 defending would be perfect for Jurgen Klopp's system.

But, alas, it's never going to happen. Liverpool fans are not going to lose sleep over it though as Ibrahima Konate has already been impressing in the clips that have been emerging of him from LFCTV.

Anfield Central was told at the end of April that RB Leipzig's coaching staff believe Konate will one day become the best defender in the world.

While it's easy to see where they are coming from, he's still a bit 'green' and certainly has a lot of work to do before he reaches the level of someone like Virgil van Dijk.

But then again, there isn't a single defender on the planet as good as the Dutchman.