Image Credits: Imago Images
Liverpool’s defensive depth has emerged as a pressing concern in recent weeks, with the season-ending injury to Giovanni Leoni and Ibrahima Konate’s inconsistent form prompting questions about whether Arne Slot’s squad possesses sufficient cover to challenge on all fronts.
The 18-year-old Leoni suffered a devastating anterior cruciate ligament tear on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup, ruling him out until at least next summer and leaving the Reds with just three senior centre-backs—Virgil van Dijk, Konate, and Joe Gomez.
With Konate’s contract set to expire at the end of the season and Real Madrid continuing to circle the French defender, Liverpool’s need for reinforcements has intensified.
While Marc Guehi remains the club’s primary target, any move would only materialise in the summer when he is a free agent – if at all.
DaveOCKOP already exclusively reported of Liverpool’s interest in Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck.
Now another defender that keeps cropping up on the Reds’ radar is Club Brugges’ Joel Ordonez.
Lewis Steele, reporting in his Liverpool Confidential, has revealed that club scouts continue to keep tabs on the Ecuadorian.
It’s not the first time the Merseyside journalist has mentioned the 21-year-old’s name as early as March of this year already.
Ordóñez joined Club Brugge from Ecuadorian outfit Independiente del Valle in August 2022 for a reported €4 million fee.
The same academy that produced Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo and Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapié, Independiente del Valle has established itself as a production line for South American defensive talent.
A glance at the defender’s underlying creative stats showcase why Liverpool would be keen on the Ecuadorian:
Passing Stat Per 90 Percentile
Pass Completion % 91.3% 94
Passes Attempted 65.60 81
Progressive Passes 4.47 85
npxG + xAG 0.12 91
The 6’2″ defender initially featured for Club Brugge’s reserve side before breaking into the first team, where he has now accumulated 92 senior appearances for the Belgian champions, including crucial contributions to their Champions League campaigns.
He has earned 11 caps for the Ecuador national team and recently signed a contract extension until 2029.
It definitely seems like he is one to watch heading into the summer transfer window and beyond.