Liverpool lead race to sign Bournemouth’s Senesi this summer | OneFootball

Liverpool are leading the race to sign Bournemouth centre-half Marcos Senesi, according to The I Paper.

The Reds are in the market for a defender and have turned to the Argentine, whom sporting director Richard Hughes knows from his time with the Cherries.

Liverpool could use a new centre-back with Virgil Van Dijk entering the twilight of his career.

The Merseyside club needs a back-up who can take the reins for the Dutchman. Enter the ‘very valuable’ Senesi.

While the 28-year-old is not the physical specimen that Van Dijk is, he is an exquisite passer of the ball and can help unlock teams even from the back.

Senesi has won 48 percent of his aerial and 57% of his ground duels in 31 Premier League appearances this season.

He has helped his side keep eight clean sheets while creating six big chances so far, earmarking himself as one of the best ball-playing defenders around.

Senesi is poised to become a free agent this summer, allowing Liverpool to pounce and snap him up.

But they won’t get a free run at him with several other clubs, local and international, queuing up for his signature.

He is one of the hottest properties on the transfer market this summer.

Yet for all his pedigree and comfort in possession, there is a lingering doubt over whether Senesi truly fits the profile of a Van Dijk successor.

Liverpool’s defensive structure has long been built on dominance in the air, in duels, and in recovery situations, areas where Senesi’s numbers are, at best, modest.

Replacing Van Dijk is not simply about progression from the back, but about authority without the ball.

Senesi offers composure, but not necessarily control. For a team with title ambitions, that distinction could prove decisive if Liverpool choose to make their move.