Liverpool set to move for defender after big weekend development – sources
Liverpool are set to move for a left-sided centre-back in the upcoming summer transfer window, sources have told Football Insider.
The Reds are keen to bolster their defensive options as Arne Slot prepares for his first season in charge at Anfield.
Slot and director of football Richard Hughes officially started work on Merseyside over the weekend and are starting to put plans in place for the summer transfer window, which opens on 14 June.
Centre-back Joel Matip, who missed a huge part of the 2023-24 campaign with a serious knee injury, has been confirmed as exiting Anfield at the end of his contract later this month.
Liverpool also have captain Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Jarrell Quansah and Joe Gomez as first-team defensive options – with Gomez almost exclusively playing as a full-back in recent seasons under Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool want new centre-back signing as Matip departs
The Merseysiders are aware of the need to kick-start a rebuild of their defence as they prepare to return to the Champions League next season.
Van Dijk played on the left side of the Liverpool defence in the 2023-24 campaign but with the Reds captain set to turn 33 next month, the club are ready to future-proof the position.
Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams are also on the books at Anfield but their futures are unclear after disappointing loan spells at Cardiff and Port Vale respectively.
Liverpool finished third in the 2023-24 campaign as Klopp signed off with a League Cup trophy win.
They will play in the league phase of the Champions League from September under Slot, who has previously managed Feyenoord in the competition.
In other news, Liverpool turn down deal to sign “next Kylian Mbappe”.
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