Liverpool face AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League and the Reds head coach and sporting director know one Cherries player well.
The Marc Guehi saga has firmly come to a conclusion.
It is believed that the Reds did not move for Guehi this month as they did not see it as a market opportunity, unlike last summer. But what every Kopites knows is that the centre-back position will need significant attention come the summer.
Ibrahima Konate’s contract expires and it appears that he will say goodbye after five years on Merseyside. The future of Joe Gomez, who will have a year left on his deal, could come into question. Gomez may want to go and play regularly after being down the pecking order. He has also had his fitness issues over the past few years.
And with Giovanni Leoni recovering from an ACL injury, which he suffered on his Liverpool debut last September, he could need a period to get up to speed. Leoni is also only 19 and yet to play in the Premier League.
In truth, supporters will expect a premium centre-back to be signed - perhaps a long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk. Names such as Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven and Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck have been linked. But it is scarcely fanciful to feel that two central defenders will be required. It is a department that Liverpool lack depth.
In addition, tthe Reds might need another right-winger, especially if Mo Salah does leave for Saudi Arabia, a left-winger to add competition for Cody Gakpo and perhaps even an additional central midfielder. Head coach Arne Slot has insisted several times that Liverpool do not have unlimited funds and their £450 million splurge last summer was offset by the sales of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Ben Doak, Tyler Morton and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Liverpool, therefore, may have to spread their budget and look for real value. They have not used the free-agent market to sign an outfield player since Joel Matip in 2016. Matip would go on to become one of the shrewdest pieces of transfer business in Anfield history, with the defender helping the Reds return to the summit of European football. He won six major trophies at Liverpool, including the Champions League and Premier League.
And when Liverpool face AFC Bournemouth, sporting director Richard Hughes could well have his eye on a potential recruit whose contract is ticking down. Hughes, who joined the Reds from the Cherries in 2024, won’t need to do much due diligence on Marcos Senesi. It was Hughes who signed the Argentine when he was technical director on the south coast - from Slot’s Feyenoord.
In the 2021-22 season, Senesi had helped Slot’s Rotterdam-based outfit reach the Europa Conference League final. His performances were enough to convince Bournemouth to pay £13 million for his services.
In his first two seasons, Senesi was a regular starter. Last term, however, he found himself out of favour, although it was for good reason. Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi were ahead of him as Bournemouth finished a club-record ninth in the Premier League with 56 points. Both earned moves to European heavyweights, with Huijsen signed by Real Madrid and Zabarnyi moving to Paris Saint-Germain for a combined fee of £107 million.
Since the duo’s respective departures, Senesi has regained his starting berth. He’s featured from the outset of 21 of Bournemouth’s 22 Premier League fixtures - missing the other game because of suspension. Per WhoScored, he is now the Cherries’ best-performing player following Antoine Semeyo’s departure to Manchester City, with an average match rating of 7.11.
Senesi’s contract is running down at the Vitality Stadium and expires in June. Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola admitted last month that the club are trying to tie Senesi down to fresh terms, although he has reportedly turned down several offers.
“I think Marcos has been very good,” Iraola said on Senesi via Bournemouth Echo. “He was performing well even before I arrived to the club. I remember some games that I watched from the previous season where he performed really well. And with us, you know what to expect when you put Marcos in the starting lineup.
“On the ball, off the ball, he understands very well also the way we want to play and for us it's very valuable. I don't think it’s a big secret. I think he's very confident on the ball and also he makes the ones next to him more confident.
“This is something that when you feel confident, the one next to you looks a little bit better and the other one looks a little bit better and is good for the team.“He has, I think on the ball, he can play short, he can play long. His understanding of the game, I would say, even without the ball, when to press, when to drop a little bit. And also, for our team, he’s quite an experienced player. He has played in other leagues, has played in Europe. I think these are qualities for this team, I think are very important.”
Senesi does not meet Liverpool’s usual model when signing players. He turns 29 in May, so is in the peak years of his career while the Reds prefer to recruit those who are on an upward curve.
But Senesi is someone who is available for nothing. Granted, he’d likely want a significant pay rise compared to his earnings at Bournemouth but that is understandable. What Senesi would offer is someone who could immediately impact the Premier League. Chelsea have been linked with a swoop during the January transfer window, while Tottenham Hotspur and Spanish superpowers Barcelona are also said to be admirers.
However, it is a potential deal that could make sense for Liverpool. Hughes and Slot could be keeping close tabs on a defender they know well when the Reds face Bournemouth.
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