Reported by Transfermarkt. After Liverpool had already signed three first team players for a combined € 214 million and sold another four for € 63.3 million, Liverpool was undoubtedly one of the busiest clubs in the summer transfer window.
Fresh reports now suggest that the Anfield Club can be forced to jump back in the transfer market to find a ready-made replacement for one of their most important players.
According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Liverpool -defender Ibrahima Konaté has informed the club about his intentions to join Real Madrid when his current contract ends next summer. The Premier League side has reportedly spent a large part of the year to sign the French talent into a new contract, but it now seems as if Konaté forced his hand. As a result, new reports in England are now suggesting that the Premier League champions are planning to sell the central defender this summer, instead of having him leave for free in 12 months.
That would undoubtedly lead to Liverpool signing a player who is able to step into the role of Konaté in the starting XI of Arne Slot. The club could turn to Joe Gomez to play next to Virgil van Dijk, but it seems more than likely that they sign another central defender if Konaté is sold. So which defenders can Liverpool add to their shopping list this summer? This is what the transfer market database suggests.
Marc Guéhi – Crystal Palace
The first name on the list of potential replacements for Konaté in Liverpool must undoubtedly be Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi. Since the switch to Selhurst Park in 2021, Guéhi has gone into force at the club, not only rising as an English international, but also one of the most coveted young defenders in English football. That has led to a lot of speculation around the 24-year-old talent, with countless reports that connect the player with a move to Anfield. However, it is still to see how much Palace would demand for their star defender and whether Liverpool would be willing to match such requirements when other options are available on the market.
Ilya Zabarnyi – Bournemouth
Another prospect of the Premier League that has received a lot of praise and attention in the past two seasons is Bournemouth defender Ilya Zabarnyi. Many would have raised an eyebrow when the cherries spent € 22.7 million on the Ukrainian talent in 2023, but since then Zabarnyi has developed into an exceptional defender, who has succeeded in linking solid defend situations with clear comfort when he has the ball on his feet. As such, its market value has risen from € 18 million to € 42 million during his time in Bournemouth and he is perhaps the perfect defensive candidate for a top four club in the Premier League. Reports have suggested that Paris Saint-Germain also wants to sign the young defender, but it is still too viewed where he will play his football next season.
Piero Hincapié – Bayer Leverkusen
If Liverpool wants to look outside the Premier League, they can be tempted to return to Bayer Leverkusen to sign one of their star players. In Piero Hincapié, the Bundesliga side has an exceptional, defensive prospect that has shown at Leverkusen in the course of his last four years that he is an excellent central defender of the ball game that can play at the highest level. With a market value of € 55 million – which makes him the most valuable player of the club and the 12th most valuable central defender in the world – Hincapié would not be cheap. However, he could be the perfect long -term solution for the gap that Konaté seems determined to leave in Sletten's back line.
António Silva – Benfica
Another young defender who looks destined for a move to the top flight of England is Benfica star António Silva. Silva has just completed his third full season with the Liga Portugal Giants and has quickly established himself as an excellent central defender with all the characteristics of a top class player in the making. Although he may not show the same physicality as Konaté, his dribble and passing couple are well defending with his excellent one-V-one and he could perfectly compliment Van Dijk. Just like Hincapié, however, he will probably cost a considerable amount.
Joel Ordóñez – Club Brugge
If Liverpool wanted to take a more unorthodox approach to replace Konaté, they could instead turn to the Belgian side club Brugge and their exceptional young defender Joel Ordóñez. The 21-year-old talent exchanged the top flight of Colombia for Club NXT (Bruges's Feeder Team) in 2022, but only needed a season to prove that he was good enough for the first team of the main club. Since the summer of 2023, the market value of Ordóñez has been raised from € 1.5 million to € 28 million, making it one of the most intriguing defending talents in European football. And with a fantastic capacity to choose ahead and dribble with the ball, Ordóñez is perhaps perfectly suited to play for a dominant side such as Liverpool in the Premier League.