How Liverpool could fix their defence under Xabi Alonso with three summer signings worth £182m | OneFootball

If/when Xabi Alonso replaces Arne Slot, his biggest job will be to fix Liverpool’s broken defence and there’s a solution with three summer signings…

This season has not been what anyone associated with Liverpool anticipated after clinching their 20th Premier League title and spending well over £400m on signings in the summer.

There are a multitude of factors behind Liverpool’s weak defence of their 20th crown, with Arne Slot, FSG, seasoned veterans and new signings all sharing a portion of the blame.

Slot would surely have already been sacked if he did not have credit in the bank from last season, but large swathes of Liverpool supporters have grown tired of his approach and it feels increasingly likely that he will be replaced in the summer.

A new report has claimed that the Dutchman would ‘not even’ be safe if Liverpool sneak Champions League qualification, with their current boss particularly at risk due to the availability of club legend Alonso following his exit from Real Madrid.

Barring an unforeseen shift in Slot’s philosophy, the clamour from supporters for Alonso will only grow during the run-in and with FSG’s first-choice to replace Jurgen Klopp ‘waiting’ to return, his overdue appointment does feel inevitable.

This will appease Liverpool’s disgruntled supporters, but the club’s dire decline this season suggests Alonso would not have an easy ride upon his return, with their defence the most pressing of a sizable list of problems for the head coach to fix heading into the 2026/27 campaign.

The failed move for Marc Guehi, Giovanni Leoni’s serious injury and the poor form of Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk have contributed to the perfect storm for the collapse of Slot’s backline, with work already underway to overhaul their defence this summer.

Liverpool have struck a deal with Rennes worth £60m to sign Jeremy Jacquet ahead of Chelsea, but they will not be stopping there: it’s been reported that a second new centre-back will be their ‘next major’ signing in the summer. 

So, with Jacquet already through the door and Alonso expected to follow, how could Liverpool’s new-look defence shape up next season? Well, two more signings should be ingredients for this remedy.

Alonso made his name in management with Bayer Leverkusen, where he utilised a 3-4-3 formation with great effect.

And with Liverpool’s current crop of defenders far more suited to a formation with wing-backs rather than a traditional four-man backline, Alonso should try to repeat his past success with Leverkusen at Anfield.

The arrival of right-footed Jacquet, at the very least, will provide much-needed competition for Konate, but will more likely see the £60m star replace the fallen Frenchman, who is yet to sign a new contract despite costing himself a move to Real Madrid with his dire form.

Despite his own struggles this season, Van Dijk will be expected to line up at the heart of Liverpool’s defence for at least one more year, with this formation switch suited to the club captain at this stage of his career, with pacey and athletic teammates around him to provide cover.

Jacquet will be to his right, and the perfect scenario for Liverpool is that Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven is to Van Dijk’s left as a third centre-back.

The Reds previously missed out on Van de Ven to Spurs, but the Dutchman has outgrown the relegation candidates and deserves an upward transfer in the summer.

According to our pals at TEAMtalk, Van de Ven has already given his ‘approval’ for a potential £100m exit from Spurs in the summer, with Liverpool and Man Utd ‘ready to battle’ for his services.

Regarding Liverpool’s interest, the report explains: ‘The Reds are actively seeking defensive reinforcements this summer and view him as high on their list of targets.

‘His pace, composure on the ball, and ability to play out from the back align well with the club’s defensive requirements. The fact he is also a left sided defender make him a very attractive target.’

These qualities align with Jacquet as they would provide the perfect foil for Van Dijk, while 2025 summer signings Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong would have a better chance of thriving as wing-backs than full-backs for Liverpool.

There have been more signs suggesting that Kerkez (mainly due to his work at Bournemouth) can be a success at Liverpool in the Premier League, while the jury is still out on Frimpong; he has struggled to cope with the division’s physicality.

As a potential upgrade on Frimpong, Liverpool could do a lot worse than raid Inter Milan for Denzel Dumfries, who has a 25 million euro (£22m) release clause in his contract and is reportedly on FSG’s radar.

Unlike Frimpong, Dumfries feels ready-made for the Premier League with his strength and dynamism, so he, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Van de Ven and Kerkez would offer a much better platform for Liverpool’s attackers than their current defence.