Should Liverpool take advantage of Tottenham's Cristian Romero situation? | OneFootball

Liverpool's search for another centre-back appears inevitable. There's less than a month of the transfer window remaining and credible reports of defensive signings have been minimal, but the Reds cannot enter the new season without reinforcement.

Virgil van Dijk remains a titan, but the Dutchman is now in his mid-thirties and has had to withstand a significant load. Van Dijk played every minute of Liverpool's 2025/26Premier League campaign and 6,141 minutes combined for club and country last season. Having celebrated his 35th birthday last month, is that sustainable?

Ibrahima Konate has departed for Real Madrid, leaving Liverpool's options behind their captain stretched. Joe Gomez's fitness record can not be relied upon, while Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet are unproven and returning from lay-offs.

Can Andoni Iraola really head into aPremier League campaign with Gomez, Jacquet and Leoni, the latter pair having never played a minute of top-flight football in England between them, as serious centre-back options?

In a market of inflated fees,Cristian Romero could be a surprise solution. The Argentine wants to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer, with Spurs increasingly preparing for life without their captain. Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are yet to meet an asking price set at around £45m, a figure that looks real value for a player of such calibre.

Normally, signing one of your Premier League rivals' best players would be impossible.

This time, it might not be.

So should Liverpool make their move?

One area Iraola must improve is defensive set-pieces. Only Iraola's Bournemouth side (26), Crystal Palace (25) and Leeds (24) conceded more set-piece goals than Liverpool’s 23 in what proved Arne Slot’s final season as head coach.

Those flaws surfaced again at the weekend, when Leeds United scored twice from long throws during apre-season defeat for Liverpool in America. Liverpool's backline was a world away from the one that will start their Premier League opener in August, but there were vulnerabilities nonetheless.

Romero would help solve several issues.

The 28-year-old is arguably the Premier League's best front-foot defender. He thrives stepping into midfield, wins duels early and refuses to let forwards settle. With Van Dijk offering cool and sweeping behind him, Romero could be given licence to attack situations in much the same way he does for Argentina.

That partnership has the potential to become one of Europe's best.

Last season, despite Liverpool's poor season, Van Dijk ranked in the elite bracket for almost all defensive metrics. He led the Premier League for aerial duels won, forward passes completed, accurate passes into the final third, and headed goals.

The Dutchman is a dominant duel-winner, while Romero ranked in the top 15% of defenders in Europe for possession won per game. His tenacity offers an ideal complement to Van Dijk's calm.

Furthermore, his ability to defend large spaces help fills the Konate void, while offering a greater range in his distribution. At 28, he would arrive in his prime, bringing leadership, elite experience and a mentality that has carried Argentina to football's biggest prizes.

However, for all the positives, there remain risks.

His rash disciplinary record cannot be ignored, and Tottenham would almost certainly resist selling to a Premier League rival. But with European suitors lacking the finances that Spurs are demanding, and replacements already in the door in North London, there's a deal to be done.

Liverpool don't often sign readymade players, but with Iraola in genuine need of another defensive leader, it looks like an opportunity to explore. There was a softness to Liverpool last season, and Romero remedies some of that.