Scouting: Five Potentially World Class Centre-Backs Liverpool Could Sign

Who is the most ideal to replace Robertson?

Amidst all the talks of a midfield rebuild which Liverpool are yet to complete in this window, it almost goes under the radar that they need at least one centre-back before the deadline. In this new hybrid system, having a left-footed centre-back or a defender who can operate as a left-back or left-sided centre-back is a must.

Liverpool do not have that in their squad at the moment. Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas have been tried in that position. But, let’s be clear that as much as they are very good players, especially Robertson, asking them to play the reserved role is just like forcing a dog to eat grass. Both are not physically built to play as a wide centre-back as well.

So, what I have done below is to take a close look at five players amongst whom Liverpool can sign one or two in this window or next to bolster the wide centre-back positions (preferably the left-hand side to start with). 

With multiple reports from the club side saying that they are looking at young additions in this department, I have reduced the search pool to within defenders who are aged 24 and under. Makes it rather straightforward to identify players of certain nature and profile.

Gonçalo Inácio - Plays for Sporting Lisbon

[Age - 21, Contract till June 2026, Release clause - €40m]

One of the first things that come to mind when looking at Inácio is his release clause. It is confirmed that a club interested in signing him has to pay a fixed transfer fee which is pre-decided. The structure of the pay can be negotiated.

Inácio is a left-footed defender who has predominantly operated as a wide centre-back on either side in a three-man central defensive system at Sporting. The Portugal international started his youth career at Almada before moving to Sporting in 2012 at the age of 10.