Liverpool has already added three midfielders to their roster during the current transfer window, but they could still use another defender.
This summer, Liverpool may look to an established name to help them in their search for a left-sided center-back.
In June, The ECHO revealed that the Reds were searching for a player in this position as Jurgen Klopp tries to strengthen a defense that is starting to raise questions. While Joe Gomez has recently lacked consistency and availability, Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk are both in their 30s, with the former nearing the final year of his contract.
The only long-term option Liverpool has in this area of the field is Ibrahima Konate, but that is the end of the list. Contrary to attack, where Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz were acquired, the club’s traditional front three have not yet been systematically phased out at the other end of the pitch.
Due to passes in behind and crosses into dangerous areas, Liverpool’s opening two Premier League games against Chelsea and Bournemouth served as a stark reminder of what may go wrong for Klopp’s team this season.
Over the course of the summer, a number of names have been floated as potential candidates, with Levi Colwill and Micky van de Ven being particularly linked. Both players’ fates have since been settled; the former has agreed to a new, long-term contract with Chelsea, and the latter has been signed by Tottenham Hotspur.
The Reds are also apparently interested in Piero Hincapie of Bayer Leverkusen, who is also reportedly wanted by West Ham United, another Premier League team. The 21-year-old Hincapie has made a good impression since moving from South America to Europe since signing for the German team two years ago.
Leverkusen’s managing director Simon Rofles explained the reasoning for the club’s choice, saying: “Piero’s signing 18 months ago was an investment in the future; at the time, he was a talented central defender with incredibly enormous potential. He has long been a crucial player for our Werkself and has lately displayed his talent at the Qatar 2022 World Cup as well as in the Bundesliga and Champions League. One of the team’s major players who we can depend on to assist us meet ambitious goals in the next years is Piero.
