Liverpool Need Fresh Faces In The Summer — A Defender Should Be Top Priority

As Liverpool exited the Champions League with a whimper against Real Madrid, many fans are genuinely concerned about their side’s chances of qualifying for next season’s competition.

Inconsistency in the Premier League, coupled with a series of long-term injuries across a variety of positions exposed the fragility in the Reds’ depth, and while momentarily masked with the 7-0 thrashing of rivals Manchester United, in all honesty, the two legs against Madrid were nothing short of hopeless.

Despite a fast start in which Jurgen Klopp’s side rolled back the years, cruising into a 2-0 lead, there was a sheer gulf in class between Liverpool and Madrid, something that was far more apparent than when they met in last season’s final only last May.

The 14-time champions never panicked and essentially killed the tie in the first leg, making the formality of a 1-0 win on their own patch all the more frustrating for the Reds, as Los Blancos barely got out of second gear.

A combination of errors and poor performances have many Liverpool fans believing a midfielder is key to turning their poor fortune around.

Indeed, the loss of Jordan Henderson and Thiago have been big issues but with the side still favoured among those who make a football bet most weeks, it’s the defence that has gone without scrutiny for far too long.

Virgil van Dijk has hardly looked like the Rolls Royce that was so imperious in years gone by, while Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate’s injury concerns have forced Joe Gomez into more regular appearances despite his clear lack of form.

But who do Liverpool go and get? It’s not easy picking out defenders when the owners Fenway Sports Group impose such a strict sell-to-buy transfer policy.

It looks as if there will be major departures at Anfield though, with one of Matip or Gomez ending a long stay with the club which was perennially successful.

However, Klopp needs to start building for the future and all signs point to a more reliable partner for Van Dijk if the Reds are to get back on their throne.

One target has been RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol. The Croatian impressed at the World Cup and despite the Germans being dumped out of the Champions League by Manchester City, there’s plenty of potential in the young centre-back.

Left footed and dominant in the air, he has had comparisons made between himself and Van Dijk and after signing Konate the club have a good relationship with Leipzig, but he won’t come cheap, with rumours of Gvardiol setting the Reds back £75 million.

A cheaper alternative would be Colombian defender Kevin Mantilla. While he’d serve more as a deputy in his debut season, the Santa Fe man is a relatively low-risk, high-reward move from the Reds, who have been known to scout from the farthest corners of the globe to attract talent.

At 19 years old, Mantilla would be one for the future but could free up funds for either fellow South American Moises Caicedo or indeed Liverpool’s top target, Jude Bellingham, to make the move to Anfield alongside him in the summer.

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