Exclusive: Liverpool line up record-breaking transfer raid after Champions League scouting mission | OneFootball

Liverpool may be forced to significantly overhaul their defence during the summer transfer window, and their scouting staff have been busy keeping tabs on prospective recruits.

The Reds could lose 50% of their first-choice back four in just over three months’ time as the long wait goes on to see if Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold will renew their rapidly expiring contracts, while Jarell Quansah was also touted for a potential loan exit in recent days.

The Premier League leaders have been linked with several defenders from across England and Europe, with Dean Huijsen and Nico Schlotterbeck lately emerging as viable targets, and another name has now entered the scene as a possible signing on Merseyside.

Liverpool scouts watch Joel Ordoñez

According to sources close to Empire of the Kop, Liverpool scouts were assigned to last week’s Champions League fixture between Club Brugge and Aston Villa to observe Joel Ordoñez, who’s also being monitored by Unai Emery’s side as well as Chelsea, Brighton and Newcastle.

The Belgian giants have named a price of €45m-€50m (£37.9m-£42.1m) for the centre-back, and a transaction for that amount would represent a record sale by a club from Belgium.

Along with the Stamford Bridge outfit, the Reds are more likely to win the transfer race for the 20-year-old due to their superior financial muscle, their confidence in the Ecuadorian’s potential and their aggressive approach in the market

Under the guidance of Arne Slot, Liverpoool aiming to revolutionise their defence for the next few years by signing a player like Ordoñez.

(Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)

Ordoñez has potential but still needs to work on several flaws

The Club Brugge defender had a solid if unspectacular game when the Reds’ scouts watched him in action against Aston Villa last week.

As per Sofascore, he completed 50 of his 53 passes (93%) and lost possession just four times from 62 touches. In terms of his defensive work, he made three clearances and two interceptions and won 50% of his duels (2/4).

Ordoñez has been noted for his effective distribution of the ball (Total Football Analysis), a reputation which is backed up by a pass completion rate of 90.4% over the past year, which ranks him among the top 19% of centre-backs in Europe for that metric (FBref).

However, he falls well short for a series of other performance attributes in comparison to positional peers on the continent (FBref), so he appears to be a raw talent who still needs to work on many facets of his game if he’s to thrive at the very highest level.

It seems increasingly clear from the number of defenders being linked with Liverpool that adding to that part of the squad is high on Richard Hughes’ agenda for the summer.

With uncertainly abounding over the futures of Van Dijk and Trent, and the latter joining Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez on the injury list last night, it’s certainly an area of the pitch which needs addressing once the transfer window opens in June.