Liverpool made their first and only signing of this summer’s transfer window by bringing in Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig in a move that is backed to bolster last season’s injury-ravaged backline at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp lost the colossal likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip to season-ending injury layoffs this past campaign in a series of events that threatened to play major spoilsport to Liverpool’s plans of securing a berth in the Champions League.
The Reds gaffer had to make the optimal usage of the final hours of the January window earlier this year as he signed Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies, the former of whom joined the Merseysiders in a short-term loan agreement with an option to buy.
Fast forward to the end of June and with nearly a month to go before we head into the start of the 2021-22 Premier League season, Davies is yet to make his first outing in the Liverpool shirt with injury troubles affecting his adaptation into new surroundings.
Kabak, meanwhile, is set to return to his parent club Schalke in Germany with Klopp and Liverpool deciding against triggering the buy-out option in the young Turk’s loan deal, instead opting to shift their focus towards the highly-coveted name of Konate who had been an influential presence at the back for Leipzig.
Interest in the France U21 international had been strong from a number of clubs across England with Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are believed to be keeping tabs on the player but it is Liverpool who have walked away with his signature in what could prove to be a fantastic piece of transfer business by the Anfield camp.
However, recent speculation concerning Liverpool’s moves in the transfer market as the UEFA European Championships is underway, gives birth to talk that Klopp could be scouting the market for another defensive signing, something that will puzzle the club’s fanbase.
Croatian international Duje Ćaleta-Car who came close to signing for Liverpool in January only for Marseille to block the deal has once again been linked with an Anfield switch with reports of a cash-strapped Marseille outfit looking to pocket a sizable fee for their first-team regular star.
Manchester United are understood to be challenged by Klopp’s side for the signature of Atalanta man Cristian Romero with claims of the Reds seeking to match United’s €50 million opening offer doing the rounds.
What has caused confusion amongst the Liverpool supporters in light of such rumour-mongering is that the Van Dijk-Gomez-Matip trio are in line to be fit for on-field action in time for the start of the next season.
Van Dijk chose to work further on his fitness levels ahead of the forthcoming campaign rather than accompany his Holland side to the Euros where he would have skippered the Oranje besides being their most pivotal name on the teamsheet.
The likes of Gomez and Matip are also backed to prove their readiness meaning that Klopp will have a much-stronger defensive line at his disposal in spite of the strong interest shown by Premier League clubs in signing last season’s breakout star on Merseyside Nat Phillips.
⛔ Just Nat Phillips things 👊 pic.twitter.com/L0xyeIlRfu
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 20, 2021
Phillips, a standout performer for the Reds in the backend of the 2020-21 season, has firmed his intentions of garnering regular minutes on the pitch now at 24 years of age but should Klopp not be able to guarantee his player the same across the upcoming campaign, the centre-back could be lured away from Merseyside.
Liverpool’s need for a new central midfield player is bound to take precedence for Klopp and the fans in light of Gini Wijnaldum’s departure for PSG and a new defensive name arriving on Merseyside is not expected to win them over heading into the new season.
Also Read – The top 5 names on Jurgen Klopp’s mind to replace Gini Wijnaldum
