Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola looks on from the dugout at Bournemouth
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola looks on from the dugout at Bournemouth
Steve Bardens/Getty Images
Liverpool are ‘strongly in the mix’ in Pierre Kalulu, amid Italian giants Juventus looking to tie the defender down to a contract extension.
The 26-year-old initially joined Juventus on loan two years ago, with the Bianconeri making the arrangement permanent the following season.
The Frenchman has since become a mainstay at the heart of the Old Lady’s defence, carrying that consistency into the current campaign.
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Six rounds into the Serie A campaign, Juventus have conceded among the fewest goals in the Italian top flight, with Kalulu playing a key role after featuring for every available minute.
Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur were all linked with the centre-back in February, seeking to lure him to the Premier League.
Aware of the growing interest in the Frenchman, Juventus began exploring the possibility of extending his contract.
While the summer transfer window passed without a concrete move to the Premier League, the prospect of Kalulu heading to England has not disappeared.
Centre-back Age
Virgil van Dijk 35
Jeremy Jacquet 21
Giovanni Leoni 19
Ronald Araujo 27
Joe Gomez 29
According to Italian journalist Marco Conterio, Liverpool are ‘strongly in the mix’ in the defender ahead of next summer as they look to bring him to Anfield.
The Frenchman remains under contract with the Old Lady until 2029, but Juventus ‘want to renew’ his deal and extend their partnership for the long term.
Whether the Reds will turn their strong interest into a concrete approach remains to be seen, although Juventus are unlikely to entertain his departure lightly given Kalulu’s importance to their defensive structure.
The Merseyside outfit also have Stuttgart’s Finn Jetsch on their shortlist of centre-back targets, although he intends to wait until the end of the season before deciding on his next move.
Liverpool are also monitoring the situation of Brazilian defender Wallace, alongside Newcastle.
With Virgil van Dijk yet to extend his contract at Anfield, Liverpool’s centre-back options could come under scrutiny next summer, with the possibility of more than one arrival depending on how the situation develops.