Liverpool risk being left short again as Joyce outlines failed triple chase | OneFootball

The hunt for fresh defensive reinforcements continues, but we’re already facing familiar problems – and the squad is looking worryingly light.

As reported by Paul Joyce in The Times, our Premier League-winning squad is now down to just two recognised senior centre-backs, with Joe Gomez returning to Merseyside carrying an achilles injury.

That leaves only Virgil van Dijk and Ibou Konate as fit, established options – a fragile situation after Jarell Quansah was sold to Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer for an initial £30 million.

Liverpool are very light at the heart of our defence

(Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

Joyce explained that we’ve already failed in bids for three different centre-backs – Leny Yoro, Levi Colwill and Dean Huijsen – over the past three successive summers.

There’s admiration for Marc Guehi, who helped Crystal Palace win the FA Cup last season and is now into the final year of his contract, but the suggestion is we’ll walk away if a transfer saga develops, rather than overpay or be held to ransom.

“They like Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi… but are unlikely to be drawn into a saga over the England international,” Joyce wrote.

That could open the door for other clubs to swoop in – just as Real Madrid have done with Huijsen.

Guehi may price himself out of a move to Liverpool

(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

This update adds further weight to Arne Slot’s desire to reshape the defence, especially after the sales of Quansah and Nat Phillips, while Gomez’s setback only highlights how short we are for a long season ahead.

The need for recruitment is obvious. The club has been scouting young centre halves across Europe, which could point back to interest in other emerging names, with the right balance of age, resale value and profile.

Liverpool have already let Trent Alexander-Arnold go to Madrid and sanctioned multiple exits at the back – but unless a deal is struck soon, we could be forced to rely too heavily on just two centre-backs once again.

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