Liverpool already found themselves light on centre backs heading into the season but their defensive concerns have only been exacerbated by Giovanni Leoni’s recent injury.
The 18-year-old, who signed from Parma for £26 million ($34.7 million) over the summer, suffered a suspected ACL injury in Liverpool’s recent Carabao Cup third round victory over Southampton, likely ruling him out for the majority of the 2025–26 campaign.
It’s a major setback in the wonderkid’s development and a sizeable blow for Liverpool, who are now down to just three senior central defenders. Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté and Joe Gomez are all that remain, although the likes of Andy Robertson, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch could be utilised as emergency options.
Arne Slot will require defensive reinforcements during the January transfer window if Liverpool are to compete for the Premier League, Champions League and domestic cup competitions.
Here are six centre backs Liverpool could turn to in the winter market.
Marc Guéhi
The obvious January recruit is Marc Guéhi. Liverpool came agonisingly close to signing the Crystal Palace captain in the dying embers of the summer window, with Guéhi even completing a medical with the Reds and filming a farewell social media video for the Eagles.
Palace’s inability to source an adequate replacement saw them pull the plug on the transfer, but Liverpool will likely return for the England international in January following Leoni’s long-term injury. With Guéhi out of contract next summer, they should be able to agree a cut-price deal with the Eagles.
Of course, other clubs could come calling for Guéhi in January and he could even sign a pre-contract agreement with teams outside of England, but Liverpool seems his most likely destination.
Ronald Araújo
Leoni’s injury is not Liverpool’s only centre back concern. Konaté, much like Guéhi, sees his contract expire next summer, and links with Real Madrid simply won’t disappear.
The Reds have to plan for a possible future without the 26-year-old, who will prove incredibly difficult to replace should he depart Anfield. One name that has been tentatively mentioned as his successor is Barcelona’s Ronald Araújo, whose long-term future in Catalonia remains unclear.
Araújo signed a new contract with Barça in January but that extension was agreed simply to protect the defender’s transfer value, with a £54 million release clause inserted into his terms. While he remains happy in Barcelona, The Athletic have reported that he would be tempted to leave for a “top Premier League side.”
Liverpool are the best England have to offer at present and Araújo would have a tough decision to make if the Premier League champions’ interest intensified. The 26-year-old is undoubtedly an elite talent and would be able to make an immediate impact on Merseyside.
Gonçalo Inácio
Few transfer windows have passed over recent years without Gonçao Inácio’s name being linked with Liverpool. The Sporting CP defender has long been one of Europe’s most promising defenders, but is yet to take the step to one of the continent’s dominant forces.
The 24-year-old has been crucial to Sporting’s rise and was a significant part of the Ruben Amorim side that reasserted the Lisbon giants as Portugal’s best team. Impressive displays in his homeland have earned him 17 caps for the Portuguese national team, too.
The left-footed defender is not the quickest, which is perhaps a factor that has dissuaded potential suitors, but he does boast commendable physicality and an impressive reading of the game. The towering centre half is also a huge goal threat, managing four or more for Sporting in each of his last four full seasons.
It feels inevitable that Inácio will make his blockbuster move in the near future and it would be remiss of Liverpool not to consider him this winter.
Joel Ordóñez
When Liverpool were evaluating young central defensive targets this summer, Joel Ordóñez’s name was mentioned prior to Leoni’s arrival. The 21-year-old has caught the eye with Club Brugge over the past three seasons, initially plucked from Ecuador talent factory Independiente del Valle—the club responsible for the production of Moisés Caicedo, Piero Hincapié, Willian Pacho and others in recent years.
Ordóñez has taken to European football impressively and established himself as a regular for Club Brugge. He was integral to their Champions League last 16 run last season and has now managed 88 appearances for the Belgian outfit.
The 6’2 Ecuador international has an impressive passing range and stands out for his defensive contributions, but whether he’s ready to make the step up to Liverpool remains to be seen.
Murillo
Murillo could be a dream addition for Liverpool. The 23-year-old arrived at Nottingham Forest in 2023 with a stellar reputation carried over from his time with Corinthians in his native Brazil, and he’s swiftly made good on his immense potential. He turned out 36 times for Forest in his debut term and followed that tally up with 39 appearances last season, forging an excellent partnership with Nikola Milenković.
Murillo was integral to Forest’s European qualification last term, with the club’s defensive record crucial to a seventh-place Premier League finish. Alongside his more aerially dominant centre back partner, the Brazil international dazzled with his anticipation, physicality and ball-playing abilities.
The defender has already attracted interest from Chelsea but his reported £70 million price tag could dissuade interested parties. It might just be a gamble worth taking, however, especially given his proven Premier League experience and potential to improve even further.
Castello Lukeba
Konaté’s heir could well be his compatriot Castello Lukeba. The 22-year-old rose to prominence with Lyon but made the switch to RB Leipzig in 2023, where he’s taken his game to a new level. The powerful and speedy defender has become a mainstay in the German side’s defence, performing with impressive consistency during a difficult period for the Saxony outfit.
Lukeba’s apparent £78 million release clause underscores his glowing potential, although Leipzig would reportedly allow him to depart for less. He boasts an impressive understanding of the game despite his tender age and is renowned for his excellent distribution, with his left-footedness also a major advantage for the Reds.
Liverpool have been linked previously, as have the likes of Manchester United and Bayern Munich, but Leoni’s injury and uncertainty over Konaté may force them to act on their interest this winter. They could do much, much worse than the young France international.
READ THE LATEST LIVERPOOL NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS AND MORE
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Six January Transfer Targets for Liverpool After Giovanni Leoni Injury.
