Liverpool are expected to have a busy summer transfer window following the arrival of new head coach Andoni Iraola. Despite spending a hefty £446 million on new additions last summer, the past season demonstrated that there is still considerable room for improvement within the squad.
Iraola is set to implement the same high-intensity and front-foot football that served him so well at Bournemouth in recent years, meaning Liverpool will move away from the more cautious style that Arne Slot introduced before his recent dismissal.
All eyes are on who the Basque coach will look to sign, with much discussion centred around finding a replacement for Mohamed Salah in attack. Any signing is sure to align with Iraola’s direct, attacking philosophy.
Yet there is reason to believe the Reds are also planning to strengthen their defensive options, particularly in long-term recruitment at centre-back. Here, the Liverpool Echo examines how the defence could look by the end of the summer window.
New Signing Jeremy Jacquet
Jeremy Jacquet will be remembered as Slot's final signing at Liverpool, having joined the club in a £60 million deal in early February. Jacquet agreed to move to the Reds from Rennes at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
The 20-year-old is a very welcome addition, given the significant void left by Ibrahima Konate’s departure from the centre of defence. The Frenchman recently left as a free agent after his contract expired.
Current Defensive Options
Alongside Jacquet, Joe Gomez and captain Virgil van Dijk, Iraola also has youngster Giovanni Leoni to rely on. However, the talented Italian is still raw and has yet to play a Premier League game, having spent the entire season recovering from an ACL injury.
Liverpool could therefore benefit from signing 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.
Potential Target: Goncalo Inacio
Goncalo Inacio of Sporting CP would represent an excellent long-term signing. The Portuguese is reportedly still on Liverpool's radar after several years of being linked with a move to Anfield.
The 24-year-old is composed on the ball and boasts an outstanding passing range, which allows him to break lines and fit perfectly into Iraola’s system. He is also left-footed, allowing the club to future-proof the defence if Van Dijk leaves.
Inacio is certainly in high demand, with several other top clubs vying for his signature. But despite having a £55 million release clause in his contract, Sporting might be willing to negotiate below that figure.
Right-Back Situation
Moving on to the right-back role, the position caused Slot plenty of headaches last season following Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure, Conor Bradley’s injury, and Jeremie Frimpong’s lack of form. That meant duties on the right-hand side of defence were shared between Gomez, Dominik Szoboszlai, Calvin Ramsay, and Curtis Jones, with nobody really nailing down a place.
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, cannot efficiently replace Alexander-Arnold as the club's homegrown jewel. Frimpong and youngster Ramsay, meanwhile, will continue as back-up options.
Left-Back Options
At left-back, the departure of club legend Andy Robertson to Tottenham leaves Liverpool somewhat short, with Milos Kerkez being the only other left-back in the squad. However, the Reds may not need to address the position in the transfer market, with some reports suggesting Kostas Tsimikas could resume his role as deputy following his return from a season-long loan at Roma.
Projected Defence for 2026/27
As such, this is how the Liverpool defence could look going into the 2026/27 campaign under their new exciting 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.
