Liverpool's Defensive Strategy: Centre-Back Targets for the New Season

Liverpool’s defensive plans for the new season have been brought into sharp focus before a competitive ball has even been kicked.

Andoni Iraola, only weeks into the job, has already made one thing abundantly clear to the club’s hierarchy: he wants another senior centre-back, and he wants him soon.

Pre-season warning lights

A disrupted pre-season has stripped away any illusions about Liverpool’s depth at the back. In the friendly win over Sunderland, Iraola was forced to turn to 18-year-olds Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe after Joe Gomez limped off inside the opening 10 minutes.

On paper, it was just a summer run-out. In reality, it was a flashing warning sign.

Virgil van Dijk remains on an extended break following his World Cup exertions. Summer signings Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni are still working their way back from injury. That has left Iraola looking at a depth chart that leans heavily on youth and versatility rather than hardened, senior specialists in the middle of defence.

Behind the scenes, that has accelerated Liverpool’s work in the market. Central defence, already on the to-do list, has now become a priority.

Stones tops a heavyweight shortlist

Among the names being seriously discussed, John Stones stands out.

The England international is available as a free agent after leaving Manchester City, and his stock has rarely been higher. A standout World Cup under Thomas Tuchel reaffirmed his status as one of Europe’s most polished defenders, and interest has followed from across the continent, the Premier League, MLS and the Saudi Pro League.

Crucially for Liverpool, Stones is open to a move to Anfield. He is also in talks with Arsenal and Chelsea as he weighs up the next phase of his career, but the door is not closed to Iraola and the Anfield hierarchy. For a club trying to refresh its defence without wasting time, a player of his experience and quality, available without a transfer fee, is a compelling proposition.

Konsa’s versatility catches the eye

Stones is not the only England defender in Liverpool’s sights. Ezri Konsa has emerged as a genuine option, admired not just for his defending but for his adaptability.

At Aston Villa, Konsa has shown he can operate both at centre-back and at right-back, a trait that fits neatly with Iraola’s desire for flexibility across the back line. In a squad that may need to shuffle shape and personnel across a long, demanding season, that kind of profile carries real value.

Arsenal remain keen on Konsa, but Liverpool have now stepped into the conversation as they weigh multiple targets and scenarios.

Familiar face on the radar

There is also a more personal angle to Iraola’s thinking. Liverpool have been made aware of the possible availability of Paris Saint-Germain defender Illia Zabarnyi.

The former Bournemouth centre-back has grown frustrated with a lack of regular minutes in France. Any deal would be complicated, but Iraola knows him intimately from their time together on the south coast and remains a firm admirer of the Ukraine international.

If circumstances align, the Spaniard would welcome a reunion. For a coach trying to implement his ideas quickly, a defender he already trusts and understands would be a powerful asset.

Dream targets and long shots

While immediate, realistic options are being explored, Liverpool have not lost sight of their long-standing “dream” centre-back targets.

Levi Colwill at Chelsea and Micky van de Ven at Tottenham Hotspur remain players the club would move for if either became available. Both fit the age profile and playing style Liverpool covet. Both are currently going nowhere.

Sources indicate neither London club has any intention of sanctioning a sale, leaving those pursuits in the realm of wishful thinking for now rather than active negotiations.

Liverpool have also kept themselves updated on Antonio Silva and Ousmane Diomande. Silva is expected to complete a move to Bournemouth, while Nottingham Forest are advancing talks for Diomande. Even so, Liverpool continue to monitor both situations, mindful of their long-standing admiration and ready to react if anything changes late in the window.

A decisive test for Liverpool’s rebuild

For Iraola, the equation is simple. A club with Liverpool’s ambitions cannot go into a new season leaning so heavily on teenagers and makeshift solutions at the heart of its defence.

The shortlist is strong. Stones, Konsa, Zabarnyi and the more distant dream targets all offer different answers to the same urgent question.

Now the pressure moves from the touchline to the boardroom: who will Liverpool actually land to stand alongside Van Dijk and anchor Iraola’s first campaign at Anfield?