Liverpool have reportedly been handed a boost in their pursuit of Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen, with Newcastle United said to have dropped out of the race for his signature.
Despite winning the Premier League title on Sunday following their 5-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur, the Merseysiders look certain to strengthen considerably in the summer.
The club have consistently been linked with the signature of attacking reinforcements given the uncertainty surrounding Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota, but they may also have to look for defensive additions.
Centre-back Ibrahima Konate will have just one year left on his contract in the summer, and it is difficult to see the club allowing the Frenchman to leave as a free agent.
The i Paper claim that the Reds may have less competition for reported centre-back target Huijsen as Newcastle have decided against pursuing the Cherries defender, though Chelsea are said to be interested in securing his services.
Is Dean Huijsen the right Konate replacement?
Konate’s greatest strength is his ability to cover the channel for right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has often been criticised for his defensive efforts.
The 25-year-old centre-back is exceptionally quick and dominates in the air, and he has in fact won 72% of his aerial duels in the top flight this term.
While Huijsen has shown great promise in Bournemouth’s high line, he has predominantly played as a left-sided centre-back, and considering Virgil van Dijk will not be displaced from the left side at Liverpool, the Bournemouth defender may take some time to adjust to a new position at Anfield.
It should also be noted that the 20-year-old has struggled in the air, winning just 60.6% of his aerial duels in the Premier League.
Perhaps one area where the Spanish centre-back would be an upgrade on Konate is with the ball at his feet considering he has consistently managed to break opposition lines and play progressively forward.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot asks more of his players in possession than previous boss Jurgen Klopp, and there is an argument that Huijsen’s technical quality would allow the Reds to exert more control over their opponents.
