Liverpool will target a new centre-back signing once they wrap up a deal for Romeo Lavia.
The Reds have been locked in discussions with Southampton for Lavia over the past few weeks. Having seen two bids turned down for the 19-year-old, it seems likely that an agreement will eventually be struck.
As ever, journalist Fabrizio Romano has been keeping Liverpool fans up to date with the developments on Lavia. But writing in his Daily Briefing on Substack today, Romano shared what the Reds are actually planning on doing once they hopefully secure their top target.
“Liverpool want to sign a new centre-back this summer but it has to be a very good option,” he says. “They are not “forced” to sign for that position; it’s just in case they find the best opportunity.
“They wanted Levi Colwill but it was always impossible as Chelsea considered him not for sale since day one. Liverpool are currently busy with the Lavia deal, but after that, we will see.”
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Liverpool looking for a centre-back
First things first, Liverpool really need to get Lavia signed and sealed before they do anything else. That isn’t currently a foregone conclusion, far from it.
But with the Belgian kept on the bench throughout Southampton’s opening Championship game last night, it feels like that door is still very much open.
There’s no time to lose for the Reds, with their opening Premier League game just a week away. If it isn’t Lavia, it needs to be someone else, but they simply have to get a new midfielder through the door.
Once that’s done, attention must turn to the defence. It’s slightly frustrating that Liverpool are seemingly not urgently looking in that department.
The pre-season games so far have made it abundantly clear that we are still very shaky at the back. There’s real concern over both Joel Matip and Joe Gomez’s suitability to the new system.
As a result, getting a new defender is arguably almost as paramount as getting a new midfielder.
Colwill would have been nice, but it always looked a difficult deal to pull off. There are plenty of other options still out there for Liverpool, though. They may not be Colwill, but they now can’t afford to be overly picky. Please, let’s have some movement soon.