Liverpool boast top-of-the-line centre-backs of all time of their squad, however the pursuit of Marc Guehi represents an extended overdue signing at Anfield.
Liverpool are in talks with Crystal Palace to safe the signature of their captain, with the proposed deal price £30 million with an additional £5 million in add-ons.
For a 25-year-old with 217 membership appearances and 23 worldwide caps, it’s shaping as much as be one other savvy acquisition from Liverpool in what’s a press release summer season.
And whereas Alexander Isak could also be seen as a luxurious signing, the addition of a senior centre-back has been a very long time coming.
Third senior centre-back in seven years
Since Virgil van Dijk arrived on the membership in January 2018, Liverpool have solely parted with important funds one different time to signal one other centre-back.
That was, after all, for Ibrahima Konate in the summertime of 2021, when the membership agreed a £35 million deal to signal the highly-rated Frenchman from Leipzig.
That makes for 2 senior centre-back signings throughout the final seven years.
With Liverpool having piled up the trophies in that point, it has been an space of the pitch that has required emergency consideration somewhat than deliberate pruning and care.
Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak have been introduced in throughout the centre-back disaster of 2020/21, however performed a mixed 13 video games – and by mixed, we imply solely Kabak took to the sphere.
Academy merchandise Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips have been subsequently tasked with stepping up and did an admirable job as Jurgen Klopp‘s facet secured Champions League qualification towards the chances.
All stop-gaps and never a part of the larger image, although the membership would have hoped that was the case once they signed 17-year-old Sepp van den Berg for £1.3 million in 2019.
The Dutchman proved a promising expertise however not a long-term answer, and the membership recouped a wholesome revenue when he signed for Brentford final summer season for a deal price £25 million.
It goes with out saying, although, that Liverpool have been available in the market and made makes an attempt to signal younger, skilled centre-backs in recent times, with Dean Huijsen, Levi Colwill and Leny Yoro among the many signatures they chased.
At each flip they have been left disillusioned, which is why Guehi’s need to make the transfer to Anfield and compete for an everyday position is lengthy overdue.
Slot, very similar to Jurgen Klopp earlier than him, declared that “now we have sufficient choices that may play there,” when talking forward of the Group Protect, however rapidly added: “But when we see an opportunity available in the market, we won’t hesitate to take it.”
Guehi is that ‘likelihood‘, as is 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni for what might be a mixed charge that is available in lower than what the membership paid for Van Dijk greater than seven years in the past.
Belief won’t be a problem
With Guehi, Liverpool would have a plug-and-play defender who can and can compete for an everyday position within the facet and can have Slot’s belief to take action.
It turned rapidly obvious final season that the Dutchman had a small circle of belief when it got here to the squad he inherited, with solely 14 taking part in greater than 1,000 minutes within the Premier League.
There was a core group he turned to, and Jarell Quansah was not one among them, prompting his exit this summer season to Bayer Leverkusen as Richard Hughes and Co. moved to create a squad in Slot’s picture.
It is going to lead some to imagine that Slot will choose up from the place he left off, however Liverpool’s summer season enterprise has acquired the expertise that can permit for higher rotation in his second season.
His use of Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa, particularly, was bemusing for supporters all through the marketing campaign, particularly when first-team regulars confirmed indicators of fatigue.
However he’ll look to the week when Liverpool have been knocked out of the Champions League by PSG and noticed Newcastle raise the League Cup as a main instance of his must embrace change.
“Perhaps, possibly, I made the most important mistake by not rotating sufficient however I believed there have been 4 days in between for Newcastle and so they had sufficient relaxation,” Slot stated on the time.
Rotation turned a major speaking level all through the season, and increasing Slot’s circle of belief will solely profit Liverpool’s pursuit of silverware throughout a number of competitions.
Not like Quansah, Guehi can have the belief of his head coach to compete with Van Dijk and Konate, which he can have no scarcity of motivation for in a World Cup 12 months.
He’s proficient in his defensive duties, a progressive passer and, importantly, blissful working in a excessive line – to not point out vastly skilled with near 250 senior appearances.
Slot’s stamp of approval will sign an overdue turnover on the again, to not point out an injection of competitors to stave off any complacency at centre-back, which has been missing in recent times.
As Bob Paisley stated, it’s crucial to construct from a place of energy and Liverpool are, eventually, doing simply that.
