Liverpool will surely need to invest in its defense come the summer. John Aldridge has put forward two potential transfer candidates from within the Premier League.
16:01, 12 Mar 2026
John Aldridge and Ian Rush of Liverpool during the LFC Foundation charity match between Liverpool FC Legends and AFC Ajax Legends at Anfield on March 23, 2024 in Liverpool, England.
John Aldridge has picked out two defenders whom he believes would slot in at Liverpool.(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool couldn't sign new players in every single position last summer. But it did stand out that even after a record-setting transfer spree, the defense still looked fragile.
The availability record of Virgil van Dijk is nothing short of phenomenal, not least when you remember that people feared the worst after Jordan Pickford's horror challenge ruled him out for the best part of a season. But while the summer gamble on the 34-year-old's continued fitness has thus far paid off, his form has slipped slightly from its imperious best.
Ibrahima Konate's fitness history is more chequered, and saying the same for Joe Gomez would be an understatement. Yet this trio makes up the entire department of senior center-backs, and the Frenchman's deal is up at the end of the campaign (a fact which has looked like no bad thing at times this season, it has to be said).
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In other words, it's well past time for Liverpool's transfer focus to switch to the back line. It would be surprising and alarming if the Reds did not recruit at least one new center-back in the summer.
That remains the case despite the January acquisition of Jeremy Jacquet. Even if the Frenchman were not touch-and-go to be fit for pre-season after an unfortunate shoulder injury, Liverpool could still do with an another established figure for the sake of both depth and forward planning.
John Aldridge was recently speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest football odds. He believes Micky van de Ven would thrive at Anfield.
"If Tottenham were to go down, I'm pretty sure that Liverpool would be in a better situation if they went for Micky van de Ven," Aldridge said. "I actually think he's done well for Tottenham: a lot of people disagree with me, but I think he's alright."
Micky van de Ven of Tottenham Hotspur looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Atletico de Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on March 10, 2026, in Madrid, Spain.
Liverpool would surely take an interest in Micky van de Ven if Tottenham were to go down.(Image: Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Aldridge's opinion might be less controversial than he seems to think it is. Liverpool has been linked with Van de Ven, and the opportunistic transfer would make a lot of sense in the unthinkable scenario that Tottenham gets relegated.
Admittedly, the past few weeks have not been a good look for the Dutchman. He has looked as though he would rather be anywhere other than Tottenham; while extremely understandable, that is not acceptable, and his ridiculous dismissal last weekend really felt as though it made relegation a genuine prospect for the first time.
But Liverpool would surely take the risk. Van de Ven has enviable physical fundamentals: he is quick and strong, like his compatriot Van Dijk, and it's a nightmare to get around him when he is on song.
As a side note, even relegation may not spell the easy transfer that many seem to be anticipating. While Tottenham would have to undergo some of the most drastic cost-cutting we've ever seen, relegated teams have generally managed to either hold on to their best talent or else secure top dollar in recent seasons (gone are the days of the Andy Robertson and Xherdan Shaqiri bargains).
Aldridge's second recommendation is slightly more left-field, although not necessarily bad. He picked out Brentford's Nathan Collins as an option for Liverpool.
Nathan Collins of Brentford goes forward during the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between West Ham United and Brentford at the London Stadium in Stratford, England, on March 9, 2026.
John Aldridge has highlighted Nathan Collins as a possible option in defense for Liverpool. (Image: Kevin Hodgson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
"Nathan Collins, what you see is what you get," Aldridge assessed. "He's just a defender, he's a typical type of defender.
"Sometimes you don't want the fancy, fancy footballers: you need someone who can just put his head on the ball from a corner, a set play, or get rid of it and head the ball 30 yards like you used to do. That would be an interesting signing."
Admittedly, Aldridge may have something of a national bias toward Irish international Collins. But he might actually be doing the Brentford captain a disservice by describing him as an old-school center-back.
Collins is no-nonsense, but he wouldn't be completely lost in a passing team like Liverpool. When he first signed for Brentford, he shared his belief that "chance creation begins at the back", expressing his desire to "dribble, play, and create."
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That mix of technicality and steel would be very welcome at Anfield. And at just 24, Collins has a high ceiling.
Without a doubt, either Collins or Van de Ven would be viable candidates for a summer transfer to Liverpool, even if neither would come cheap. It is almost time for the next chapter in the Reds' back line, and Aldridge's vision for it is worthy of consideration.