Liverpool are reportedly eyeing a significant January move for Club Brugge's highly-rated centre-back, Joel Ordonez, with a potential fee of around £43 million being discussed.
Defensive Reinforcements a Priority for Reds
The pursuit of the 21-year-old Ecuadorian comes as manager Arne Slot and the Anfield hierarchy seek to bolster their defensive options. This follows the collapse of a £35 million deal for Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi last summer, which left the club with only one major centre-back addition, Giovanni Leoni.
With the January transfer window closing on February 2, Liverpool are under pressure to secure their targets. Ordonez has emerged as a key candidate after impressing in Belgium, prompting fresh speculation about a major defensive signing.
The Striker Who Became a Defender
In a fascinating twist, Ordonez's former youth coach, Luis Medina, has revealed that the player now linked with a dream move to Anfield originally harboured ambitions of being a goalscorer.
"Joel was a quiet, very thin, silent boy," Medina told Diario Expreso. "He was actually a striker, and now he might go to Liverpool as a defender. There are things God does that one doesn't understand."
Medina explained that Ordonez was inspired by compatriot Enner Valencia's three-goal haul at the 2014 World Cup and dreamed of similar televised glory. "He was always an attacker, he had good acceleration, long legs, he was light and very skinny," Medina added.
A Coach's Vision Unlocks Potential
It was Medina who saw a different future for the young player, convincing him that his skills were better suited to preventing goals rather than scoring them.
"I felt he could be a great defender because he was strong in one-on-one situations, positioned himself well, and won duels," said Medina. "He marked well even without having the basics of a defender."
He recalled a pivotal conversation: "He told me he wanted to score goals, and I replied that he could prevent them on defence, and that scoring goals was too much responsibility." This guidance set Ordonez on the path to becoming the promising defender now catching Liverpool's eye.
The Reds face competition for other targets, with Manchester City also showing interest in Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo and the previously pursued Marc Guehi. Whether the £43 million move for the converted striker Ordonez materialises before the deadline remains a key storyline of this transfer window.
