Liverpool continues to be linked with potential transfer targets in the market, with Finn Jeltsch the latest to be rumored with interest from the Reds, as well as Barcelona and Real Madrid
Finn Jeltsch of VfB Stuttgart looks on during the Bundesliga 2026/27 match between VfB Stuttgart and 1. FC Köln at MHPArena
Finn Jeltsch has been linked with a transfer switch to Liverpool(Image: (Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images))
While Liverpool is pushing hard to improve on the pitch under Andoni Iraola, the recruitment team is already putting the wheels in motion for potential new recruits.
Recent transfer windows have been dominated by superstar names and huge fees that the Reds have paid to sign the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, and Bradley Barcola. While there is merit in doing that, adding some star power to the team, Liverpool has perhaps been at its best when operating in smaller budget pools.
Take the signings of Victor Munoz and Ronald Araujo as examples of finding value in the market, where it is becoming increasingly tough to do just that. Given the financial position of the club, after signing so many household names, it would be no surprise to see the Reds look for value again under the guidance of returning sporting director Julian Ward, with plenty of links already surfacing.
The latest name to appear is Finn Jeltsch, as Spanish outlet Sport reports that Liverpool is one of several clubs, which includes Real Madrid and Barcelona, to hold an interest in the star.
Jeltsch may be a name that is unfamiliar to those who don't watch the Bundesliga, with the 20-year-old star making his way through the ranks at Nuremberg before he made the switch to his current club, VfB Stuttgart last summer for just $10.6 million.
A center-back by trade, the youngster has shown plenty of potential in the early years of his career, standing at an impressive six feet and two inches tall at the back.
Finn Jeltsch during a pre-season friendly between Stuttgart and Fulham.
Finn Jeltsch during a pre-season friendly between Stuttgart and Fulham.(Image: Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Having made his way through to the senior stage, Jeltsch is closing in on 100 appearances at the top level, which includes experience in the Bundesliga, Champions League, and Europa League. Being born in Neuendettelsau, in south Germany, the defender has represented the German national team from under-16 to under-21 level.
The center-back is waiting for his debut for the senior national team under former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, having already said playing for the side would be “the greatest thing there is”.
If Liverpool needed any indication of his style of play, then Jeltsch's own words to the DPA may do best to sum him up. “I would say I’m an aggressive defender, brave and also attack-minded," he said in September. "I hope I can show what I can do and that he [Klopp] will like it."
It's the type of player that may suit what Liverpool needs, when looking at the long-term situation that is developing in the backline for the team.
Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez both have less than a year remaining on their contracts, with no certainty on whether they will renew, while Araujo's loan comes to an end. That leaves the young pairing of Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet left as the only two options available in the center of defence.
It remains to be seen whether Jeltsch could be the solution to that, as Liverpool looks to build the next great team for many years to come.