Journalist: Liverpool have scouted Bundesliga powerhouse who could fill specific niche at Anfield | OneFootball

Liverpool scouts have reportedly watched one player who could fill a glaring and specific gap in Arne Slot’s current squad.

The need for centre-back reinforcements in the transfer window was amplified over the weekend after Joe Gomez left the Reds’ pre-season tour to Asia and returned to Merseyside for treatment on a minor Achilles injury.

It leaves just two senior players available who are specialists in that position, a far from ideal scenario with just over a month remaining before the deadline, and that could see Richard Hughes accelerate a planned approach for Marc Guehi.

Liverpool have also scouted a Bundesliga centre-back

The Crystal Palace powerhouse isn’t the only centre-back on Liverpool’s radar, though, with one journalist citing a prospective target from the continent who’s been watched by the Anfield recruitment team.

As per Greek sports reporter Giannis Chorianopoulos on X, Wolfsburg’s Konstantinos Koulierakis is among the players to have been scouted by the Reds throughout last season.

Earlier this year, CaughtOffside reported that the 21-year-old had been identified by LFC as a prospective long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk in the heart of our defence.

(Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Koulierakis could fill a specific void in the Liverpool squad

Koulierakis mightn’t be a hugely familiar name to many Liverpool fans, but one man at Anfield would be perfectly placed to provide some informed insight if needed – his international teammate Kostas Tsimikas.

As per Total Football Analysis, the 6 foot 2 Wolfsburg youngster is predominantly left-footed and prefers to play a left-sided centre-back role in a four-man defensive unit.

Not only do the Reds need reinforcements in that area of the pitch, the Greek prodigy would give Slot something he doesn’t currently have at LFC – a chiefly left-footed central defender.

Would Koulierakis be ready to challenge for a starting berth at Liverpool? His performance metrics in relation to positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues last season weren’t all that outstanding – as per FBref, he didn’t rank among the top 33% of that subset for any core defensive metrics such as tackles, interceptions, blocks or aerial duels won per 90 minutes.

If he were to join the Merseyside giants, the 21-year-old probably wouldn’t get into our strongest XI, but his value as a squad player would be immense and his high-level experience in the Bundesliga means that he could be relied upon to come straight into the side when needed.

Will the scouting missions over the past few months translate into an eventual offer being made? We’ll get out answer between now and the end of August…