Liverpool identify four-man centre-back list as Richard Hughes plans ‘significant reshuffle’ | OneFootball

Liverpool are reportedly planning a ‘significant reshuffle’ to change the fortunes of their season, and sporting director Richard Hughes has a number of centre-backs on his list.

The Reds have slumped into the bottom half of the Premier League table. After 12 games, they’re 12th in the league, on six wins, after their title defence began with five wins on the spin.

They have lost six times in the league this season – four coming in a row – while also losing once in the Champions League and being eased out of the League Cup by Crystal Palace.

The need for change in some capacity is evident for Liverpool, and Caught Offside reports the hierarchy are planning a ‘significant reshuffle.’

The report states that sporting director Hughes has a list of star centre-backs he’s looking at.

Top of the list is Marc Guehi, as has long been suggested, with the Palace centre-back the frontrunner, and it’s known he’ll be leaving by the summer, when his contract is up.

Elsewhere, Nico Slotterbeck is said to have been closely monitored, Antonio Silva is a prominent target, Goncalo Inacio is a strong candidate, and Dayot Upamecano is a possible signing.

There are varying degrees of likelihood of some of those transfers.

Silva, the Benfica man, is said to be viewed as a long-term investment to anchor Liverpool’s back line for the next decade, though with Manchester United and Real Madrid also on his tail, that move could be tough to pull off.

Inacio has also been linked with United in the past, given strong links to manager Ruben Amorim, who he played under before the boss left Sporting CP for Old Trafford.

Upamecano is named as a possible opportunistic signing, with his contract expiry at the end of the current campaign perhaps paving the way for a deal.

A centre-back coming through the door in January seems a must, so were Guehi or Upamecano to be signed, though they’d potentially be a free transfer in the summer, Liverpool might need to expedite the process and pay for them.

The reasons for a new defensive signing are clear. Liverpool – who conceded 41 league goals all of last season – have shipped 20 already this term, while only the bottom four have worse defensive records.

The injury to Giovanni Leoni has left Arne Slot without an option he’d have wanted to utilise this term, while Ibrahima Konate could walk out the door on a free in the summer.