Liverpool are likely to reinforce their squad in the upcoming transfer windows after refraining from splashing the cash in the summer.
Arne Slot added just Federico Chiesa to his squad at Anfield as he opted to stick to his guns and trust the group of players he inherited from Jurgen Klopp.
The Dutchman has a fantastic group of players with the right mix of youth and experience, but the Reds still have a few holes to fill in their squad.
And if reports are to be believed, a defender who knows Slot quite well has emerged as a target for Liverpool.
Liverpool ‘closely monitoring’ Sam Beukema
Sam Beukema of Bologna FC gestures at the end of the Serie A football match between Juventus FC and Bologna FC. The match ended 2-2 tie.
Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images
With Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez, Liverpool have a good crop of central defenders, at least on paper.
However, a deeper look into their options suggests it’s not all roses for the Reds.
Van Dijk’s future is in doubt as his contract runs out next summer, while Konate has struggled with recurring injuries during his time at Anfield.
Gomez, on the other hand, has had injury issues of his own, while Quansah is still very much learning his trade after his breakthrough season under Klopp.
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According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are ‘closely monitoring’ Bologna’s Sam Beukama, who played against the Reds earlier this season when the Serie A side came to Anfield.
The likes of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus are also in the running for his signature as the Dutchman continues to earn rave reviews for his performances in Italy.
Bologna, for their part, have no intention of letting him go in January, with his price tag believed to be in the region of £21m.
What does Slot think of Beukema?
Slot confirmed that he wanted to sign Beukema when he was in charge of Feyenoord, although the defender ended up moving to AZ Alkmaar.
After Bologna’s Champions League clash against Liverpool at Anfield – a game they lost 2-0 – Beukema confirmed that Slot privately praised his performance, which is a clear sign that he’s a fan of the player.
Beukema also spoke of his desire to play alongside Van Dijk and if he carries on playing like this, his dream might well come to fruition if Liverpool make a move for him or he gets called up by the Netherlands national team.