Record-breaking centre-back can SAVE Liverpool's season | OneFootball

Let us introduce you to Karim Coulibaly. Werder Bremen's 18-year-old centre-back is the perfect modern-day physical profile.

He's quick, strong in the air and extremely confident on the ball. At 1.91 metres he possess a tall frame with long legs that make him a really competent defender, especially in defensive duels.

Coulibaly wins 73% of those duels, which is an impressive return. Among defenders who have played 800 minutes in the Bundesliga and average 5 defensive duels at least, no one has a better success rate.

The youngster is especially dominant inside of his box, where he commands the area and often makes vitally important blocks and interceptions. Not too dissimilar to Virgil van Dijk.

Only a teenager Coulibaly is without a doubt one of the best young centre-back prospects in Europe's top five leagues right now.

Being a left-footed centre-back, he's a unicorn profile and someone who could solve Liverpool's biggest problem in terms of finding an heir to Van Dijk's throne.

But he's also ready to come in right now and offer an option and provide depth for Slot.

Coulibaly has quickly established himself as one of Werder Bremen's most important players. He's also become the club's youngest ever goal-scorer in the process when he netted his first goal of the season as per Opta.

© IMAGO - Karim Coulibaly Liverpool

He's just breaking-out but already there's so much to like. It will be a matter of time until he is playing for Germany's senior national team and attracting the interest of the biggest clubs in the world.

Liverpool should get there ahead of everyone else. Similar to the way they signed Leoni in the summer.

In the process, they will bring in a centre-back who can save the rest of the season by providing an alternative to Van Dijk, so he can be rested.

Coulibaly would also give Liverpool the option to do as they have always intended which is to use three at the back. On the left-side he'd be a really nice option alongside Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.

Long-term the prospect of him and Leoni anchoring Liverpool's defence would be simply mouth-watering.