Same Old, Same Old
Joe Gomez surrounded by medical staff is an unpleasant but not uncommon sight for Liverpool fans. It took the man who has been unfortunately sidelined for 225 career games just seven minutes to remind the fanbase – but most importantly those within the club – of a harsh truth. Relying on Gomez rekindling a title winning partnership six years in the rearview mirror with a 35 year-old Virgil Van Dijk, on top of overcoming fitness concerns that have plagued him his entire career for the upcoming season would be an unwise and major risk. Even more so in new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola’s first campaign leading the club.
Joe Gomez Isn’t The Sole Concern In Central Defence
While a Joe Gomez and Virgil Van Dijk partnership has its own fair share of complications, such as the latter playing every league minute available for Liverpool along with his commitments to the Dutch national team. The wider concern should be the depth at centre-back as a whole.
Although considered among the best prospects Europe has to offer in the position, 21 year old Jérémy Jacquet and 19 year old Giovanni Leoni have yet to kick a ball in the Premier League. Liverpool need proven quality that has been tried and tested in the league.
Leoni joined the club last summer and many were excited to see the youngster who famously manhandled Romelu Lukaku in the Serie A. But as we all remember injury struck when the teenager was stretchered off in his debut with an ACL tear. New recruit Jérémy Jacquet suffered a similar fate shortly after his signing was announced back in January with being dealt a season ending shoulder injury.
Without a timeline other than being closer to a return than also sidelined Conor Bradley and Hugo Ekitike for Leoni, and Jacquet missing the first pre season game against Sunderland due to the club taking precaution around him, their fitness remains a concern.
Both players should be handled with care and allowed to settled in gradually rather than being thrown in at the deep end this upcoming season. But, with the current state of the center back department this is a luxury that can’t be afforded. That must change. Liverpool Football Club currently has one fit senior centre-back: 35 year old Virgil Van Dijk, who is still on holiday. For a club with ambitions of winning league titles and competing for European honours that is nothing short of a disgrace.
Konate Must Be Replaced Adequately
The now Real Madrid man was allowed to leave Anfield for free after 18 months of drawn out negotiations. Despite having told the media back in April that he and the club were “close to an agreement” no such agreement was forthcoming. With the Frenchman reportedly being on close to £400,000 a week at Madrid, it’s understandable that his demands weren’t met. But the club made that decision. They allowed Konate to leave in the prime of his career for nothing. That warrants a strong response through immediate action in the market. Not excuses. Not promises. Action!
The Marc Guehi Failure
The action is yet to be seen. That is unacceptable, but salvageable. Liverpool attempted to recruit Marc Guehi late last summer even going as far as to have him halfway through a medical and wearing club colours after agreeing a £35m deal with Crystal Palace.
But with some last minute threats of resignation from the now ironically former Palace boss Oliver Glasner and chairman Steve Parish preoccupied in his fitness class a deal didn’t materialise on deadline day. This led to Joe Gomez’s deal to AC Milan also falling through, showing further indication that Gomez isn’t entirely trusted. After months of reassurances that Marc Guehi would be a red he ended up signing for rivals Man City in the January window for £20m. Which was just fantastic news halfway through a horrific campaign… With Konate having now left this mistake looks increasingly worse.
Illia Zabarnyi Could Be The Solution
With just over a month left in the transfer window Liverpool may have been offered a lifeline. In recent days reports emerged from Alex Crook on Talksport stating that PSG defender Illia Zabarnyi has been offered to Liverpool. Having made the move to Paris from then Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth last year in a deal worth £57m the Ukrainian managed just 2 starts in the Champions League despite 26 in Ligue 1 for the Parisian side. It’s rather surprising that PSG would be willing to let a defender of his quality go so soon after moving, but it’s a lapse in judgment that Liverpool can and should look to benefit from.
Zabarnyi has the athleticism to succeed in a Liverpool side. Standing at 6’2 although not as dominant as a Van Dijk or Konate, he possesses a strong aerial presence having won 63.6% of his aerial duels in 24/25 for Bournemouth, with potential to further improve in this regard. Couple this with his speed which was clocked at 36.6 km/h ranking him among the fastest defenders in the league for the 23/24 season, and you have a Liverpool coded centre half comfortable at playing in a high line.
Zabarnyi’s composure and intelligence are real standouts in his game. He possesses an impressive passing range along with being more than comfortable at carrying the ball from the back. Most importantly he’s available. The Ukrainian has only 1 injury of note, an ankle issue that seen him miss 7 games in 22/23. That is night and day in comparison to the struggles we currently see in that regard at centre half.
With having worked under Iraola previously if the chance is there to recruit the soon to be 24 year old it would offer the experience and reliability currently needed, along with helping to look to the future with captain Virgil Van Dijk having a year left on his contract and not getting any younger. The recruitment team have so far failed horrifically in replacing Mohamed Salah. The same can’t be allowed to happen in defence with Virgil. I believe Zabarnyi would be an excellent piece of recruitment, but what cannot be allowed to happen is standing still and getting no one.
One thing is for certain, we’ll pay the price in cash now or later in dropped points. Iraola needs a signing at centre-back and he needs it urgently!