Liverpool are looking to ramp up their search for a new centre-back this summer.
The Reds look to be in need of some additions in the backline following Joel Matip’s exit at the end of the season.
As well as losing Matip, Liverpool have seen Ibrahima Konate struggle through an alarming dip in form. It’s time for some new blood to be brought in.
Konate was the last centre-back Liverpool signed, arriving from RB Leipzig in 2021. Fortunately for the Reds, Jarell Quansah’s emergence from the academy has papered over some slight cracks of neglect that were beginning to form.
But with Matip gone, Liverpool are one down. They need to address it. Thankfully, reports on Friday suggest that they are doing that and then some.
Liverpool target Leny Yoro and Dean Huijsen
By now, most Liverpool fans will likely be aware that the Reds are making a push to sign Lille defender Leny Yoro. The 18-year-old has emerged as a genuine target for Liverpool.
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool have let Yoro know that they’d love to sign him. Although Real Madrid still reportedly lead the race, the Reds are in there.
If they’re able to sign Yoro, Liverpool would be bringing one of Europe’s best young talents to Anfield.
At just 18, the France U21 international looks like he could be around at the top level for plenty of time yet. If the Reds can get him in for anything around the £50m mark, then they have to do it.
READ MORE: One player Liverpool could sign from every Euro 2024 squad
Sensibly, it isn’t just Yoro who Liverpool are targeting, though. The Reds are reportedly also looking into the signing of Dean Huijsen from Juventus.
Huijsen would seemingly be available for around £25m having returned to Juve from a loan spell at Roma.
During his time in Rome, then manager Jose Mourinho dubbed Huijsen as ‘one of the brightest prospects in Europe’ [TuttomercatoWeb].
At 19 he became a regular over half-a-season for Roma and looks ready to turn out for a top club. If Liverpool could get he and Yoro for around £75m combined, they’d be sorted for the next decade.
What about Liverpool’s other defenders?
Some will question whether Liverpool really need two central defenders this summer. Virgil van Dijk is still around and on top of his game while Konate is only 25 and Quansah is a top prospect at just 21.
As well as that, Joe Gomez is still an option and should not be overlooked.
While all of that is true, signing Yoro and Huijsen could simply be too good a prospect for Liverpool to ignore. They don’t necessarily have to play together straight away, but they eventually would become a starting duo.
With rumours that Van Dijk has a contract offer from Al Nassr on the table, we know that he is not going to be around forever.
In terms of a succession plan for perhaps the greatest Premier League defender of all time, how does two of the absolute best young prospects on the continent sound?
For us, it sounds pretty near perfect. If Liverpool can pull both deals off they’d be the envy of the football world.