Liverpool confident of landing ‘monster’ £35m

Alexander Isak completed his £125 million move from Newcastle United to Liverpool, and once the dust settled, heads turned to new teammate and new rival Hugo Ekitike.

Ekitike, 23, completed a £79 million move from Eintracht Frankfurt to Anfield only in July, with FSG beating competition from Newcastle in a show of brutal strength. The Frenchman had scored three goals and provided one assist in three matches for Liverpool when the signing of Isak was made.

Heads turned to Ekitike, and questions were then raised. How were these two attackers able to play together alongside Arne Slot?

We are now almost halfway through the campaign and Ekitike is firing on all cylinders, ten goals to his name. Isak, on the other hand, struggled with fluency and fitness, and he only scored once in the Premier League.

There has been a focus on signing strikers at Liverpool this summer, but FSG’s interest in Antoine Semenyo speaks to frustrations over control of the frontline. However, signing a central defender could be a more pressing matter.

Why Liverpool should prioritize a central defender

Liverpool need to sign a central defender, and make no mistake. The Anfield team has been open many times this season, so susceptible to counter-attacks, so weak in situations that require strength.

Virgil van Dijk has been reduced to mortal status after so many imperturbable years, and Ibrahima Konate’s woes at the back cannot even be described in words, with mistakes now part of the Frenchman’s routine.

It’s incredible that Liverpool failed to tackle this potential banana skin. FSG signed Giovanni Leoni from Parma for £27 million, and the 18-year-old is considered one of the brightest defensive talents in the world.

However, he ruptured his ACL on his debut, in the Carabao Cup against Southampton, and will not be fit again until next season.

Liverpool’s disastrous campaign has knocked them out of the Premier League title race, and they are also out of the Carabao Cup.

Something could still be salvaged from this mess, but it is crucial that sporting director Richard Hughes signs a new centre-back in January. He has one in mind.

Liverpool confident in pursuit of Premier League star

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Liverpool are confident they will sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi even as they work to renew Konate’s contract. The Frenchman’s contract expires at the end of the season.

Likewise, the England international will leave Selhurst Park on a free transfer next summer. He remains a top target for the Anfield side, who are reportedly interested in a cut-price winter deal.

However, with Manchester City focusing their own interest on the centre-back, it is clear this could turn into a fight between the Premier League heavyweights.

The centre-back is already keen on a move, according to previous reports, and it may well cost around £35m to complete a deal over the winter, rather than waiting until he becomes a free agent.

What Marc Guehi would bring to Liverpool

Guehi is comfortably one of the best defenders in the Premier League, and he has been developed into a complete machine by Oliver Glasner, who recognized his quiet leadership by giving him the armband.

Although Guehi’s aerial prowess pales in comparison to that of someone like Van Dijk, he would serve as an interesting counterpoint, with his tackling and positioning leading Palace journalist Bobby Manzi to describe him as a “monster in defense”.

But more importantly is Guehi’s prowess with the ball. Konate’s weakness in this area was exposed by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure to Real Madrid, and it needs to be addressed quickly.

The impact that Guehi’s signing could have on Liverpool’s defense and, by extension, Slot’s wider tactical system, cannot be underestimated. Ekitike has been the crème de la crème of the summer, with ten goals and an assist to his name in a Liverpool shirt, but Guehi would take the cake, solving the biggest problem right under the head coach’s nose and restoring the balance.

Semenyo would indeed offer an interesting offensive outlet, and it is true that FSG could regret having sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich, after choosing not to sign an identical replacement.

Much has been made of Ekitike playing out wide to accommodate Isak, and this has been put into practice on several occasions, but the French star is thriving in his attacking position and is proof that things work out when a well-profiled player is signed.

Guehi, likewise, has been widely scouted, and his distinctive defense would be perfect for slotball.

Liverpool have some talented options, but their error-strewn defense is having a negative impact on their progress, especially since, overall, the Reds have defended decently, undone by so many errors and lapses.

It is curious to note that Liverpool have still, from a statistical point of view, maintained a relatively average defense in the Premier League this season. Any indicator of common sense would tell you that this hasn’t been the case, but it’s still a positive for Slot.

Essentially, a few well-thought-out tweaks could see Liverpool firing on all cylinders again, and Guehi would be the crowning achievement in that regard, integrating into the system and improving it, not just adding steel to the back line, but creating new passing lanes and also instilling leadership and composure.

Given that Liverpool have not signed a senior centre-back since signing Konate four and a half years ago, it is clear that such a player is needed.

Even though Leoni had avoided injuries on his debut, it is important to remember that he is a teenager with limited senior action under his belt.

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