David Ornstein CONFIRMS Liverpool centre-back plan amid Marc Guehi reports | OneFootball

Liverpool are down to THREE senior fit centre-back options. Giovanni Leoni was injured on debut - with the Italian teenager suffering a torn ACL.

The 18-year-old will be out for up to a year having undergone surgery - leaving Arne Slot with reduced numbers in the position. Virgil van Dijk leads the pack, with Ibrahima Konate firmly installed as his first-choice partner.

Elsewhere there is Joe Gomez - who was retained on transfer deadline day despite interest from AC Milan. The club’s decision to sell Jarell Quansah - allied with Leoni’s injury means they are just one injury or suspension away from a crisis.

It also means that Arne Slot is unlikely to switch to a back three any time soon - given he’d be using every single centre-back at his disposal in that system.

Liverpool's depleted centre-back options

Liverpool will have to persist with the current situation until January at the very earliest when sporting director Richard Hughes may make an attempt to sign a new defender.

Shop the LFC Store

🚨2025/26 LFC x adidas range🚨

LFC x adidas

Shop the away range TODAY

LFC x adidas

Shop the home range today!

LFC x adidas

Shop the goalkeeper range today

LFC x adidas Third Kit

Shop the third kit range today!

The club tried and failed to sign Marc Guehi over the summer transfer window - losing out on the Crystal Palace captain on deadline day.

Owing to Palace’s failure to land a replacement, the FA Cup holders pulled out of the deal with Liverpool ready to pay an initial £35m for the England man.

Liverpool strongly linked with Guehi

It had been speculated that the Premier League champions could come back in for Guehi in January instead of holding out and signing him on a free next summer when his contract expires.

The danger for Liverpool is that plenty of other clubs will get involved in the bidding - with Guehi’s options increasing as we head towards 2026.

And according to the Athletic’s David Ornstein, the Reds are planning to WAIT for Guehi instead of signing him in the winter window.

No plan to sign a centre-back

“They tried for Marc Guehi. It collapsed on deadline day and I think Liverpool would go back in for him in the summer of 2026. I’m not expecting him to leave Crystal Palace in January,” he told NBC Sports.

“Actually, I’m not expecting Liverpool to go for a centre back in January as things stand. Of course, these things could change, but I don’t think it’s a plan.

“Liverpool won’t have a clear run at Guehi, because there’s going to be competition perhaps from the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester City.”

So it looks like Liverpool will be stuck with the status quo until summer at the earliest. By then it could be all change in the Reds’ centre-back department - with Konate out of contract and Gomez potentially leaving for pastures new.