Liverpool's Defensive Search: Key Targets for Iraola

Liverpool’s pre-season has already given Andoni Iraola his first clear verdict on the squad he has inherited: he does not have enough senior centre-backs. And the club are now moving with intent to fix it.

The new head coach watched his defensive options stripped away inside 10 minutes of a friendly against Sunderland, when Joe Gomez was forced off early. What followed underlined the problem. Iraola had to turn to 18-year-olds Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe to see the game out.

It was a useful win. It was also a warning.

With captain Virgil van Dijk still on an extended post-World Cup break and summer signings Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni both recovering from injury, Liverpool’s lack of experience at the heart of their defence has been brutally exposed. For a coach who builds his teams on structure, aggression and clarity without the ball, that is not a detail. It is a fault line.

So Liverpool have accelerated their search.

Stones tops an ambitious shortlist

At the top of the list sits John Stones, now a free agent after leaving Manchester City. For a club seeking a ready-made leader at the back, the appeal is obvious.

Stones, 32, comes with a glittering domestic CV and has just enhanced his reputation again with an outstanding World Cup under Thomas Tuchel. That tournament has only widened his market: interest is understood to be coming from across Europe, the Premier League, MLS and the Saudi Pro League.

Liverpool are firmly in that conversation. Sources indicate the club view him as an especially attractive option, and crucially, Stones is open to discussing a move to Anfield. He is not short of alternatives, though. Arsenal and Chelsea are also in talks with the England international as he weighs up what is likely to be the final major move of his career.

If Liverpool want him, they will have to convince him quickly and decisively.

Konsa’s versatility catches the eye

Stones is not the only England defender on Iraola’s radar. Ezri Konsa has emerged as another serious candidate.

The Aston Villa man is admired not just for his quality as a centre-back, but for his ability to operate at right-back when required. That versatility carries real weight in Iraola’s thinking, offering tactical flexibility and cover in two positions with a single signing.

Liverpool are not alone here either. Arsenal remain keen on Konsa, but the Reds have now stepped into the frame as they assess a range of defensive targets. With the calendar edging towards the new season, the battle for his signature could sharpen quickly.

Familiar face: Zabarnyi back on the radar

There is also a more personal angle to Liverpool’s search.

The club have been made aware of the potential availability of Paris Saint-Germain defender Illia Zabarnyi. The former Bournemouth centre-back has grown frustrated by a lack of regular minutes in France, and that situation has not gone unnoticed on Merseyside.

For Iraola, this is not just another name on a scouting list. He knows Zabarnyi extremely well from their time together on the south coast and remains a huge admirer of the Ukraine international. The respect is long-standing; the fit, obvious.

Any deal would be complicated, but if circumstances open the door, Iraola would welcome the chance to work with him again.

Dream targets blocked – for now

Behind those more realistic options sit two long-standing “dream” signings: Levi Colwill of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven. Both are players Liverpool would move for without hesitation if the opportunity arose.

Right now, it does not. Chelsea and Spurs have no intention of sanctioning their departures, and sources suggest that stance is firm. Liverpool are watching, waiting, but those moves remain highly unlikely at this stage.

The recruitment team have also kept themselves updated on Antonio Silva and Ousmane Diomande. Silva is expected to complete a move to Bournemouth, while Nottingham Forest are advancing in talks for Diomande. Liverpool’s admiration for both defenders is well known, so they are staying informed, even as the window appears to be closing on those particular options.

What began as a pre-season inconvenience has turned into a clear directive. Iraola wants greater defensive depth, and he wants it quickly. The question now is whether Liverpool can turn this growing list of possibilities into the kind of signing that anchors a new era at the back – or whether the season starts with the same uneasy reliance on youth that exposed the problem in the first place.