Liverpool enter club to club talks to sign England international | OneFootball

Liverpool have entered club to club talks to sign an England international.

Richard Hughes is rapidly running out of time to rescue what is becoming an increasingly uncomfortable transfer window.

There is still a chance to turn things around before the deadline, but as things stand, there is a growing feeling that Andoni Iraola is being asked to perform miracles with an unbalanced squad.

Nobody expected the new Liverpool head coach to inherit a perfect team. That much was obvious the moment he walked through the door. The expectation, however, was that Hughes would use the summer to reshape the squad around Iraola's demanding, high-intensity style of football.

Instead, Liverpool have spent much of the window pursuing Bradley Barcola and Yan Diomande. Diomande has now rejected a move to Anfield, while Paris Saint-Germain continue to hold firm over Barcola's valuation. Liverpool may yet land one of their priority targets, but the drawn-out pursuit has come at a cost.

While attention has been fixed on signing another winger, glaring weaknesses elsewhere in the squad remain.

With just over two weeks until the Premier League season begins, Liverpool's defensive depth already looks alarmingly thin.

Joe Gomez and Jeremy Jacquet are both sidelined with injuries, Giovanni Leoni is still working his way back from the ACL injury that ended his previous campaign, and Conor Bradley faces another spell on the sidelines after suffering yet another fitness setback.

The result is that Iraola has spent pre-season patching together makeshift defensive units rather than building the partnerships and understanding that every new manager desperately needs. Pre-season should be about implementing ideas and creating cohesion. Instead, Liverpool have simply been trying to get enough defenders onto the pitch.

Right now, Virgil van Dijk is the only senior centre-back fully available.

Youngsters have stepped up admirably. Ifeanyi Ndukwe has impressed throughout pre-season and shown he looks comfortable at the level. Unfortunately, he is unlikely to remain at Anfield this season because he does not currently satisfy the work permit requirements and is expected to head out on loan. Mor Talla Ndiaye and Luke Chambers have also been handed opportunities, but both are naturally more comfortable on the left side of the defence.

Things should improve once players return. Jacquet's injury is not thought to be serious, Gomez is edging closer to fitness and Leoni should soon be back in full training.

But should Liverpool really be relying on that?

Gomez's injury record makes him difficult to count on across a full campaign, while both Jacquet and Leoni are completely untested in the Premier League and are themselves returning from injuries. That is hardly the foundation of a title-chasing defence.

The concerns extend beyond the centre of defence too. Bradley's fitness problems are becoming an unfortunate pattern, having missed more than 20 matches through injury in each of his three seasons with the first team.

Jeremie Frimpong offers an attacking alternative, but asking him to play as a traditional right-back every week would take away many of the qualities that make him such an exciting player.

Liverpool still need another winger. That much is obvious. But the longer this window goes on, the clearer it becomes that the defensive rebuild deserves just as much attention.

If Hughes fails to address it before the season begins, Iraola could find himself fighting with one hand tied behind his back before a competitive ball has even been kicked.

It looks like the club's sporting director is working on it though. TuttoJuve claim that England international Fikayo Tomori has ended up on Liverpool's radar as they look to bring in an experienced centre-back.

The report goes as far to say that Liverpool have even initiated exploratory club to club talks with AC Milan in order to determine how feasible a move would be.

So, it looks like Tomori is one to keep an eye on.