Liverpool boast among the best centre-backs of all time of their squad, however the pursuit of Marc Guehi represents a protracted 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 extra £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 time.
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 vital funds one different time to signal one other centre-back.
That was, in fact, 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 slightly than deliberate pruning and care.
Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak have been introduced in in the course of the centre-back disaster of 2020/21, however performed a mixed 13 video games – and by mixed, we imply solely Kabak took to the sector.
Academy merchandise Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips have been subsequently tasked with stepping up and did an admirable job as Jurgen Klopp‘s aspect secured Champions League qualification towards the percentages.
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 time for a deal price £25 million.
It goes with out saying, although, that Liverpool have been out there and made makes an attempt to signal younger, skilled centre-backs lately, with Dean Huijsen, Levi Colwill and Leny Yoro among the many signatures they chased.
At each flip they have been left upset, which is why Guehi’s need to make the transfer to Anfield and compete for a daily position is lengthy overdue.
Slot, very similar to Jurgen Klopp earlier than him, declared that “we now have sufficient choices that may play there,” when talking forward of the Neighborhood Defend, however rapidly added: “But when we see an opportunity out there, we is not going to hesitate to take it.”
Guehi is that ‘probability‘, as is 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni for what could possibly be a mixed payment that is available in lower than what the membership paid for Van Dijk greater than seven years in the past.
Belief is not going to be a difficulty
With Guehi, Liverpool would have a plug-and-play defender who can and can compete for a daily position within the aspect and could 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 enjoying greater than 1,000 minutes within the Premier League.
There was a core group he turned to, and Jarell Quansah was not certainly one of them, prompting his exit this summer time to Bayer Leverkusen as Richard Hughes and Co. moved to create a squad in Slot’s picture.
It’s going to lead some to consider that Slot will decide up from the place he left off, however Liverpool’s summer time enterprise has acquired the expertise that can enable for better rotation in his second season.
His use of Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa, specifically, 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 elevate the League Cup as a first-rate instance of his have to embrace change.
“Possibly, perhaps, I made the most important mistake by not rotating sufficient however I assumed 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.
In contrast to Quansah, Guehi could have the belief of his head coach to compete with Van Dijk and Konate, which he could have no scarcity of motivation for in a World Cup 12 months.
He’s proficient in his defensive duties, a progressive passer and, importantly, pleased 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 lately.
As Bob Paisley stated, it’s crucial to construct from a place of power and Liverpool are, ultimately, doing simply that.
