Looking at Liverpool’s centre-back situation, I keep landing on the same uneasy conclusion: this is the area that’s going to need the most planning, and probably the most spending, across the next couple of windows.
Even allowing for the usual “IKFA” caveat, the squad profile feels awkward. Virgil van Dijk is 34. Joe Gomez, as much as I’ve always rated him, can’t be relied upon to give you a clean run of availability. And with Ibrahima Konaté, there’s that nagging sense that Liverpool might not get to dictate the long-term timeline if bigger clubs come calling.
Short-term cover is fine, but it’s flimsy
In a pinch, Liverpool can get through spells. We’ve seen midfielders asked to do jobs before, and you can imagine Ryan Gravenberch or Wataru Endo being used as emergency centre-backs if the manager really had to, especially in-game when you’re protecting a lead and need bodies.
There’s also at least one academy name in the conversation, with Wellity Lucky having some squad exposure. But that’s the point: it’s exposure, not proof you can lean on them for months at Premier League tempo.
So, yes, there is cover. It’s just not the sort you want to plan a season around.
Why a right-sided centre-back feels most urgent
For me, the right centre-back slot is the priority. If Konaté’s form has dipped, or if his future is a bit cloudier than we’d like, that’s the position that can quickly become a problem. You can carry a lot in this league, but you can’t carry uncertainty at centre-half.
Van Dijk hasn’t been flawless either, but I still trust his reading of danger and his ability to manage the line more than anyone else in that unit right now. That’s why the idea of a plug-in, ready-made right-sided option this window makes sense, rather than rolling the dice with makeshift solutions.
Summer planning: talent now, succession later
The longer view is where it gets really interesting. If Leoni is the one you genuinely see as a future Liverpool centre-back, great, but young defenders need time. Even the “young giant coming in the summer” type signings usually take a couple of seasons before you truly know what you’ve got.
That’s why I can see the logic in doing two layers of business: one centre-back with proper first-team experience (ideally from a top league) to steady things, then another senior option in the summer if the market allows. If someone like Guehi is part of that plan, it still doesn’t remove the need for experience and reliability.
Put it all together and the direction feels clear: get a right-sided centre-back in, then use the summer to shape the longer-term succession around Virgil.
Related Articles
About Liverpool News Views
Liverpool News Views offers daily Liverpool coverage including match reaction, transfer analysis, EFL context, tactical breakdowns and opinion-led articles written by supporters for supporters.
