We have assessed some reported Liverpool centre-back targets ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.
The main question for Liverpool is who will be the long-term partner for Virgil van Dijk in the centre of defence, with each candidate currently at the club having their own flaws.
Jarell Quansah was taken off at half-time in Liverpool's opening 2-0 3 win away at Ipswich Town, with new manager Arne Slot hinting that he did not win enough of his duels.
His replacement Ibrahima Konate is injury-prone, while Joe Gomez is seemingly out of favour, and Van Dijk himself is also running out of contract, as Liverpool will be expected to go in for a new central defender soon, with these the most likely candidates…
Liverpool centre-back targets: The top five
Loic Balde (Sevilla)
According to Todofichajes, Balde is expected to join Liverpool in January for a transfer fee of €25m (£20.8m), despite being less than Sevilla's original asking price of €30m (£25m). He also has interest from other clubs in the Premier League, including Aston Villa.
Murillo (Nottingham Forest)
According to Football Insider, Liverpool, as well as El Clasico giants FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, are keen on signing Murillo. However, Nottingham Forest have set an asking price of more than £70m for the Brazilian central defender, and ideally do not wish to sell him until the summer.
Joachim Andersen (Fulham)
According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool, as well as Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus, are showing an interest in signing Andersen, despite only moving across London to join fellow Premier League rivals Fulham from Crystal Palace in the summer. There have not yet been any concrete talks between clubs or any approaches made for Anderesen, but there is a feeling that this could be one to watch.
Jorrel Hato (Ajax)
According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool have identified 18-year-old talent Hato as a top transfer target. Arsenal and Chelsea are also thought to be tracking his progress at Ajax, although a summer move is more likely at this stage.
Joel Ordonez (Club Brugge)
According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool, as well as Aston Villa and Newcastle United, are among the clubs interested in signing the highly-rated Ordonez. The 20-year-old would likely command a transfer fee of around €30m (£25m) to lure him away from Club Brugge, after impressing with performances in Belgium and in the UEFA Champions League (UEFA) in the 2024/25 campaign.
