Liverpool's Defensive Priorities: Stones, Konsa, and More
Liverpool’s defensive alarm bells are ringing, and Andoni Iraola is not pretending otherwise.
Barely into pre-season, the new head coach has told the club’s hierarchy that centre-back is a priority position, with Liverpool now actively working the market for an experienced addition before the campaign kicks off.
Early warning signs for Iraola
The warning shot came in what should have been a routine summer outing. In the friendly win over Sunderland, Iraola lost Joe Gomez inside the first 10 minutes and had to turn to 18-year-olds Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe to see the game out.
Promising talents, yes. But not the platform a new manager wants as he builds a side expected to challenge on multiple fronts.
Virgil van Dijk remains on an extended break following his World Cup exertions. Summer signings Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni are still working their way back from injury. Strip away the names and the reality is stark: Liverpool are short of senior, reliable cover at the heart of defence.
That shortage has accelerated recruitment plans.
Stones tops an ambitious shortlist
Liverpool have placed England internationals John Stones and Ezri Konsa under serious consideration, with Stones emerging as a particularly attractive option.
Now a free agent after leaving Manchester City, the 32-year-old has no shortage of admirers. His outstanding World Cup campaign under Thomas Tuchel only sharpened interest, and clubs from across Europe, the Premier League, MLS and the Saudi Pro League are circling.
Crucially for Liverpool, Stones is open to the idea of Anfield. He is prepared to discuss a move, even as he also holds talks with Arsenal and Chelsea while weighing up the next stage of his career. For a club looking for experience, composure on the ball and big-game pedigree, he ticks almost every box.
Konsa’s versatility appeals
Konsa, meanwhile, has emerged as a genuine, live option.
The Aston Villa defender is admired not just for his level at centre-back, but for his ability to switch seamlessly to right-back. That dual role is exactly the kind of tactical flexibility Iraola values, giving him options both in a back four and in more fluid, hybrid systems.
Arsenal remain keen on Konsa, yet Liverpool have now entered the conversation as they survey a range of defensive targets. This is not a one-name shortlist; it is a full-scale search.
Zabarnyi back on Iraola’s radar
Liverpool have also been alerted to the potential availability of Paris Saint-Germain defender Illia Zabarnyi.
The former Bournemouth centre-back has grown frustrated with his lack of regular minutes in France. Any move would be complicated, but the dynamic is intriguing: Iraola knows him inside out from their time together on the south coast and remains a huge admirer of the Ukraine international.
If circumstances shift at PSG, Iraola would welcome the chance to reunite with a defender he trusts and understands.
Dream targets locked away… for now
While Liverpool push on with realistic options, the recruitment team have not lost sight of two long-standing dream signings: Chelsea’s Levi Colwill and Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven.
Both are viewed as ideal long-term fits and would be pursued aggressively if either club softened their stance. At present, though, Chelsea and Spurs have no intention of sanctioning exits. Any move for Colwill or van de Ven is effectively blocked, at least at this stage of the window.
Liverpool are also staying informed on the situations of Antonio Silva and Ousmane Diomande. Silva is expected to complete a move to Bournemouth, while Nottingham Forest are advancing in talks for Diomande, yet Liverpool continue to receive updates given their long-standing admiration for both players.
So Iraola’s message is clear and the response is under way: Liverpool will not drift into the new season under-equipped at centre-back. The only question now is which name – Stones, Konsa, Zabarnyi or someone else on that growing list – ends up anchoring the next version of this defence.
