Liverpool are set to bolster their defence after finalising a deal and addressing the gap left by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure
Liverpool are expected to have a hectic summer transfer window following the appointment of new head coach Andoni Iraola. Despite splashing out a staggering £446million on new recruits last summer, this season showed that there is still plenty of room for improvement in the squad.
Iraola is set to introduce the same high-octane and front-foot football that proved so effective for him at Bournemouth in recent years, meaning Liverpool will shift away from the more conservative approach Arne Slot implemented before his recent sacking.
All attention is focused on who the Basque will look to sign, with plenty of discussion centred around Mohamed Salah’s forward replacement. Any new arrival is certain to suit Iraola’s direct, offensive philosophy.
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However, there’s reason to believe the Reds are also planning to bolster their defensive options, especially in long-term recruitment at centre-back. Here, Mirror Football examines how the backline could look by the end of the summer window.
Jeremy Jacquet will be remembered as Slot’s last signing at Liverpool, having joined the club in a £60million transfer in early February. Jacquet had agreed to move to the Reds from Rennes at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
The 20-year-old is a hugely welcome arrival, given the huge void left at the heart of defence by Ibrahima Konate’s departure. The Frenchman recently departed as a free agent following the expiry of his contract.
Alongside Jacquet, Joe Gomez and captain Virgil van Dijk, Iraola can also call upon youngster Giovanni Leoni. However, the talented Italian is still developing and is yet to feature in a Premier League match, having spent the entire campaign on the sidelines recovering from an ACL injury.
Liverpool would therefore benefit from bringing in another experienced centre-back to bridge the gap between youngsters Leoni and Jacquet, and Van Dijk and Gomez, both of whose contracts are set to expire next year.
Goncalo Inacio of Sporting CP would be a superb long-term signing. The Portuguese defender is reportedly still firmly on Liverpool’s radar after several years of speculation linking him with a move to Anfield.
The 24-year-old is assured in possession and has an exceptional range of passing, enabling him to break lines and slot seamlessly into Iraola’s setup. He is also left-footed, allowing the club to safeguard the future of their defence should Van Dijk move on.
Inacio is attracting considerable interest, with a number of top clubs competing for his signature. But despite having a £55m release clause in his contract, Sporting might be willing to negotiate below that figure.
Moving to the right-back role, the position presented Slot with numerous problems last season after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s exit, Conor Bradley’s injury and Jeremie Frimpong’s mixed form. This meant responsibilities on the right side of the defence were shared between Gomez, Dominik Szoboszlai, Calvin Ramsay and Curtis Jones, with no one truly nailing down a place.
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Bradley is expected to return to the fold sometime in September and reclaim the position as his own. Should he stay fit and kick on this campaign, there is no reason why the defender, who joined Liverpool when he was 16, can’t efficiently replace Alexander-Arnold as the club’s homegrown jewel. Frimpong and youngster Ramsay, meanwhile, will continue as back-up options.
At left-back, club legend Andy Robertson’s move to Tottenham leaves Liverpool rather light, with Milos Kerkez being the only other left-back in the squad. The Reds may not need to strengthen the position in the transfer window, however, with some reports suggesting Kostas Tsimikas could resume his role as deputy following his return from a season-long loan at Roma.
As such, this is how the Liverpool defence could look heading into the 2026/27 campaign under their new promising manager:
Right back: Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong, Calvin Ramsay.
Centre back: Virgil van Dijk, Goncalo Inacio, Jeremy Jacquet, Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni.
Left back: Milos Kerkez, Kostas Tsimikas.
