Liverpool face Bayern Munich transfer REVENGE after record £116m Florian Wirtz deal | OneFootball

Liverpool are facing a looming centre-back shakeup.

Owing to the contract situation around Ibrahima Konate, sporting director Richard Hughes is having to consider new options in the transfer market.

Konate, 26, is out of contract at the end of the current season and if no renewal is reached on a new deal soon then he will be free to speak to overseas clubs in January.

Liverpool would love to get a renewal over the line - particularly as right now they have only got three senior fit centre-backs.

Liverpool facing centre-back shakeup

Obviously Giovanni Leoni will come back stronger after his ACL tear suffered on debut - but elsewhere the Reds can only choose Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.

Both Van Dijk and Gomez are due to leave Anfield in 2027 when their contracts ends - and in the case of Gomez he could even be sold before then.

That’s why we have seen so many central defenders linked with Liverpool in recent months.

Ronald Araujo and Alessandro Bastoni are reportedly on Liverpool’s list - but their priority target would appear to be Nico Schlotterbeck.

Liverpool want Borussia Dortmund centre-back Schlotterbeck

The Borussia Dortmund defender is stalling over a new deal - with his current contract expiring in 2027.

Schlotterbeck could therefore be sold by the Bundesliga giants in order to avoid losing him on a free. The Germany international would fetch between €40m and €50m in the transfer market and it is clear Liverpool would face stiff competition.

Schlotterbeck is also attracting the interest of Bayern Munich - who are looking at the left-sider as an insurance policy in case they lose Dayot Upamecano.

Like his fellow France international Konate at Anfield, Upamecano is out of contract in 2026 - with Liverpool and Real Madrid reportedly among the teams keeping tabs on his signature.

Should they lose the 26-year-old, Bayern may move for Schlotterbeck - scuppering Liverpool’s transfer plans in the process.

That’s according to a new report in Football Insider, which claims confidence is growing at the Allianz Arena over Schlotterbeck’s potential arrival.

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Liverpool facing Bayern competition for Schlotterbeck

“Bayern Munich are keeping very close tabs on the situation due to their ongoing scenario regarding their own centre back options with Dayot Upamecano potentially leaving on a free transfer in the summer,” the report reads.

“They see Schlotterbeck as being an ideal replacement for him if the Frenchman was to leave Bavaria this summer.

“But while Liverpool are openly looking for centre-back reinforcements, [there are] ongoing doubts about Ibrahima Konate and his long-term future.

“Virgil van Dijk is not getting any younger as well. So look, I think he’s [Schlotterbeck] going to have plenty of options, no doubts about that.

“Bayern Munich will be confident that they can maybe keep him in Germany if he decides to leave Borussia Dortmund.”

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