Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol has urged the club to complete a move for Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly at the end of the season.
The Reds have had a torrid time in defence this season with Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez suffering serious long-term injuries and the likes of Joel Matip and Fabinho also having spells on the sidelines.
They brought in Ben Davies from Preston and Ozan Kabak on loan from Schalke in January, but are likely to reinforce further in the summer.
And one of their long-term targets is believed to be Senegal international Koulibaly, who has formed a reputation as one of the best players in his position in the world with his superb performances in Serie A and the Champions League.
With Napoli struggling financially, Koulibaly may be available for a cut-price deal, especially given that the 29-year-old only has two years left on his contract.
And speaking to ESPN , Nicol stated his belief that he would be the perfect addition to Jurgen Klopp's team.
"I think this is an absolute no-brainer for Liverpool," Nicol said. "You go and get Koulibaly because they don’t have anybody else anyway. Matip cannot play two games on the trot, so it’s an absolute no-brainer.
"He is big and strong, he can play, he has still got pace."
Despite Nicol's advice, it is looking like Liverpool are closing in on another target, with reports claiming they are close to completing a deal for RB Leipzig's Ibrahima Konate.
The Athletic claim that the Reds are willing to pay out his £34m release clause, and the 21-year-old Frenchman could well be set for a switch to Anfield, with talks believed to be at an advanced stage.
Konate started his career at Sochaux before making the move to Germany in 2017 and has won 12 caps for France U21s.
