Liverpool were chasing Marc Guehi last summer but after Manchester City signed the Englishman in January, attentions now turn to an alternative centre-back
Alessandro Bastoni of FC Internazionale
Bastoni is being linked with a move to Liverpool(Image: Photo by Mattia Ozbot - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
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It's less than two weeks until the transfer window shuts and there is a lot of business still to come in the Premier League. So far this month Marc Guehi secured a move to Manchester City to solve their centre-back crisis and Conor Gallagher has returned to the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool have yet to dip into the marker to fix their few problem areas. The club had targeted Guehi last summer but his move to the north west was quashed at the eleventh hour and remained with Palace. Now he's signed for City, Liverpool will need to get a new centre-back in their sights with Ibrahima Konate's future unclear.
Following the Mohamed Salah controversy prior to leaving for AFCON, the Reds will be unsure whether their star winger will be sticking around in the summer. At 33, Salah isn't going to be in the team for years to come and it's imperative a high quality replacement is secured as soon as possible. Here, the Echotakes a look at the possible ins and outs in the coming weeks.
Possible ins
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Alessandro Bastoni
The most talked-about alternative to Guehi right now is Inter Milan centre-back Bastoni. An Italian international, he is known for his ball-playing abilities and diagnonal switches - similar to Virgil Van Dijk's.
As well as this, Bastoni is a physical and tall man at 6ft 3in, fitting the bill of Liverpool's current centre-back pairing. He has a massive ceiling and would likely thrive in the Premier League.
Micky van de Ven
Van de Ven is one of the best centre-backs in Europe and supported Liverpool growing up. He is also an international team-mate of Van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo.
At 24, Van de Ven has another decade of football in him and could be a long-term replacement for Van Dijk, with the Reds rumoured to be interested. Spurs are poor at the moment and while he could theoretically be in favour of a move to Merseyside, whether Spurs would sell to rivals Liverpool is another thing.
Van de Ven
Van de Ven would be a superb signing (Image: Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
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Yan Diomande
Teenage Ivory Coast international Yan Diomande has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool. Able to operate on either wing, he could be a long-term replacement for Salah.
On a TikTok live stream in November, he said: "I want to play at Anfield. I want to play for Liverpool. I’m a big fan of Liverpool."
Michael Olise
Another potential Salah replacement, Olise currently plays for Bayern Munich but is Premier League-proven with his time at Crystal Palace.
As a right winger with a wicked left foot, he fits the bill for a direct Salah replacement. On the way to winning the Bundesliga last year he had 27 goal contributions in just 34 games, showing that he can deliver high output from the flank like Salah.
If Liverpool bosses can convince Olise to move to Anfield, he would be the ideal replacement.
Possible outs
Federico Chiesa
It beggars belief as to why Slot has not played Chiesa more regularly. The Italian international almost always contributes positively when he takes to the field but is limited to short cameos in the league or starts in the cup.
Liverpool fans would not be surprised nor blame Chiesa if it was revealed he wanted to leave the club and it's rumoured that Juventus are interested in bringing him back to his home country.
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool
Salah's relationship with the club and Slot and is at a low point(Image: Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
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Mohamed Salah
Salah publicly fell out with Arne Slot after being dropped for three games in November last year, saying he had been thrown under the bus. Jamie Carragher would then brand his verbal outburst a "disgrace".
It's fair to say relations are not rosy right now but time away at AFCON will have helped to cool off the situation for all involved.
Liverpool are in dire need of their main man but following the fallout, it's possible he could leave in the summer or even in January if he still felt as strongly about the situation.
Andy Robertson
Robertson confirmed that talks have taken place around a new contract for him but he has revealed that he is assessing his options first. He's out of contract in the summer.
Ibrahima Konate
It's unlikely he will leave in January but it's clear Konate has been reluctant to sign a new contract and his current deal expires in the summer. It's possible he could sign a pre-contract agreement in the coming weeks and months with a new team.
Real Madrid were interested in signing him, it was rumoured, but they told Liverpool they don't want him, according to The Athletic.
Most likely in January
In - A centre back. In an ideal world, Alessandro Bastoni
Out - Federico Chiesa