Liverpool have been active in the transfer market, particularly focusing on reinforcing their defence. Although it’s still only June, the club has already revamped half of its backline.
The first new arrival was Jeremie Frimpong, signed from Bayer Leverkusen for £29 million as a direct replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who recently completed a move to Real Madrid.
More recently, Liverpool finalized a £40 million deal for Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth to strengthen the left side of defence. The move, officially announced on Thursday, follows weeks of transfer speculation.
With Frimpong and Kerkez on board, they are expected to be the starting full-backs next season. However, Conor Bradley, Andy Robertson, and Kostas Tsimikas will all be pushing to earn starting roles, though Robertson and Tsimikas have both been linked with exits from Anfield this summer.
Virgil van Dijk is set to continue as Liverpool’s captain and lead centre-back, as he has since joining for £75 million in 2018. But who partners him in central defence is still up in the air.
Jarell Quansah is reportedly close to a £35 million move to Bayer Leverkusen, prompting Liverpool to search for a replacement. One name being linked is Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace, who could be brought in to compete with Ibrahima Konate for a spot alongside Van Dijk. Palace are believed to be valuing Guehi at around £50 million.
Konate’s future is also uncertain, with his contract expiring next summer and interest reportedly coming from Real Madrid and PSG.
Meanwhile, Joe Gomez is expected to return to full fitness for the new season after missing much of the last campaign due to injury. Although not a regular starter recently, Gomez’s flexibility and dependability make him a valuable asset for the squad.
Liverpool may also look to bring in a young centre-back as a long-term project rather than an immediate starter, with that situation likely to develop further as the transfer window progresses.
In goal, Alisson Becker will remain the first-choice keeper for his eighth season since arriving from Roma in 2018. He will be joined by Giorgi Mamardashvili, who was signed last summer for £30 million.
Liverpool’s ideal backline for the 2025/26 season could be: Alisson; Frimpong, Guehi, Van Dijk, Kerkez.
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