Liverpool Manager Andoni Iraola
Liverpool Manager Andoni Iraola
Liverpool came from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, recovering from a goal down against ten men to move up to fifth in the Premier League table.
Keane Lewis-Potter headed Brentford into the lead, but the hosts were reduced to ten men just before half-time when Yehor Yarmoliuk was shown a straight red card for a headbutt on Jeremy Jacquet.
Liverpool made their numerical advantage count after the break, with Victor Munoz levelling in the 62nd minute before Alexander Isak, back from injury, struck the winner eight minutes later.
Brentford’s afternoon worsened in stoppage time when Vitaly Janelt was sent off for a second yellow card, leaving them with nine men at the final whistle.
The win lifted Andoni Iraola’s side to fifth in the table, on 12 points and within two points of second-placed Arsenal, while handing Brentford their first league defeat of the season after seven matches.
Iraola now turns his attention to the Champions League, with Villarreal visiting Anfield on Tuesday as Liverpool look to build on a 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid and a 6-3 victory at LASK earlier in the group phase.
While the first team deals with a congested fixture schedule, Liverpool’s recruitment staff are continuing to track potential additions to the backline.
According to Spanish outlet SPORT, Liverpool are among the clubs monitoring Stuttgart defender Finn Jeltsch and are among the top clubs willing to pay the €50 million the Bundesliga side are demanding for him.
The report states that Real Madrid and Barcelona have also registered interest in the 20-year-old, widening what has already become a crowded race for his signature.
Multiple outlets, including AS and Sky Sport Germany, have previously reported scouting interest in Jeltsch from both Spanish giants, with Barcelona said to be assessing central-defensive options.
Jeltsch joined Stuttgart from Nuremberg in February 2025 and has since established himself as a regular starter under Sebastian Hoeness. His rapid progress has also been recognised at international level, with the centre-back earning recognition for Germany’s under-21 side.
Liverpool’s interest in Jeltsch has been reported on several occasions this year, with the club viewing him as a potential long-term option in central defence as Virgil van Dijk enters the latter stages of his career.
Stuttgart have previously indicated they are under no financial pressure to sell and have set their valuation at €50 million, with some reports placing the figure as high as €55 million.
The defender remains under contract at Stuttgart until June 2030, giving the German club no obligation to sell before they are ready.
With Liverpool’s attacking options already stretched by injuries to Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo, and further fitness concerns following the Brentford win, Iraola’s focus for now remains on navigating a packed fixture list.
Any formal move for Jeltsch is expected to wait, with Stuttgart unlikely to sanction a sale mid-season regardless of the fee on offer.
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