Liverpool are eyeing a move for an “incredible” new centre-back in one of the next two transfer windows, according to an update from journalist Dean Jones.
Liverpool need new defender in January after Matip injury
The Reds may be sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table currently, but they do feel in a precarious position when it comes to the defensive options at Jurgen Klopp's disposal.
Joel Matip's likely season-ending injury has acted as a hammer blow for Liverpool, especially as the 32-year-old has returned to somewhere near his best form, and it means Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate staying fit is of the utmost importance.
Granted, Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah are also good options who can fill in effectively here and there – Quansah started last Saturday's 2-1 win at Crystal Palace, for example – but the former is injury-prone and the latter remains very inexperienced at the top level.
Klopp must at least consider signing a new centre-back in the January transfer window, with Sporting CP's Goncalo Inacio one player who has been linked with a move to Liverpool a number of times. Palace defender Marc Guehi is another who has been seen as a potential target for the Merseysiders, should the manager be unhappy with his current options.
Liverpool "definitely scouting" the "incredible" Goncalo Inacio
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Liverpool are scouting Inacio ahead of a potential move, although a January switch could be tricky.
"Yeah, centre-back is definitely an area that Liverpool are having to contemplate as we get towards the new year. Whether that will be in January, I don't know. It's probably more likely to be in the summer if they're going to go for someone like Goncalo Inacio, who is going to cost a lot of money and there's going to be a decent level of competition to sign him.
"Manchester United really like him but Liverpool are definitely scouting him as well. And if that's the sort of level of defender that they're looking to go for, then you're probably going to have to wait until the summer transfer window to make a move like that."
Inacio ticks so many boxes when it comes to being a great choice for Liverpool, with the Portuguese a young player with such a high ceiling – one who has already become a key player for Sporting.
The Reds transfer target has made 142 appearances for his current club, despite still only being 22 years of age, while journalist Moby Haque has described him as "incredible" in the past.
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Inacio is known predominantly as a centre-back, but the fact that he can also slot in as a left-back is an added bonus for Klopp, allowing him to provide sterner competition for Andy Robertson than Kostas Tsimikas currently does when the Scot is fit and available.
It does look as though Sporting will hold firm with regards to selling one of their star players in January, so Liverpool may have to wait until next summer. It is easy to imagine Klopp being happy not to make a signing next month, although it remains to be seen how big a risk that would be.
