Liverpool signing a centre back this some appears to be an inevitability. The Reds have no choice but to bolster the back line after the side’s title defence was derailed by an unprecedented injury crisis. According to Ian McGarry, Liverpool maintain an interest in Kalidou Koulibaly and the player’s asking price has been slashed.
Centre back desperation
Last summer Liverpool sold Dejan Lovren and decided they didn’t need to replace him.
By mid-November the club had lost their senior centre back partnership for the remainder of the season.
Joel Matip fought on as long as he could be he too was ruled out in January.
Since then the Reds have brought in Ozan Kabak on loan and Ben Davies on the cheap in order to plug the gaps.
However, many expect further activity in the summer. We aren’t done yet.
Liverpool target Kalidou Koulibaly update
One rumour has stood the test of time, even though we’ve persistently dismissed it.
Ian McGarry has repeated that Liverpool hold an interest in Kalidou Koulibaly. However, the journalist offered some added detail, telling the Transfer Window Podcast:
“We have been told by an agent who is very close to Napoli that Aurelio De Laurentiis, the chairman and president of Napoli, is willing to take a knockdown price for the defender, given that he is about to turn 30 years old, and will cash in on him.
“He was available for €90m in last summer’s transfer window but we understand that a fee of around €60m (£51.6m), potentially even as little as €45m (£38.7m) would be enough to secure his services.
“Now, we know that Manchester United are interested and also Liverpool, although Liverpool have cooled their interest somewhat.
What RTK has to say
A price cut of this magnitude could be enough to sway Michael Edwards, perhaps the fee would have to come down a bit further.
The defender is about to enter his 30s, it’s no wonder why Liverpool interest in Kalidou Koulibaly has ‘cooled somewhat’.
We’d much rather the club went for Ibrahima Konate given the Frenchman’s youth.
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