Seven Centre Backs Liverpool Could Sign After Marc Guehi Joined Man City

Marc Guéhi’s Manchester City transfer stings for those of a Liverpool persuasion.

The 25-year-old was ever so close to joining Liverpool last summer, even completing a medical with the reigning Premier League champions, but Crystal Palace’s decision to pull the plug on the transfer at the eleventh hour not only left the Reds light in defence, but opened the door to competitors.

City swooped and Liverpool decided against matching their £20 million deal for the England international—who would have been out of contract this summer—resulting in understandable frustrations among the club’s supporters.

With Giovanni Leoni out for the season, the Reds have just three centre-back options: 34-year-old Virgil van Dijk, the injury-prone Joe Gomez and the unconvincing Ibrahima Konaté, whose contract expires this summer. Liverpool are an injury or two away from disaster.

Now attention will turn to who Liverpool can target instead of Guéhi, whether that’s this winter or at the end of the season. Luckily, there are plenty of impressive defenders available.

Nico Schlotterbeck

Nico Schlotterbeck has emerged as one of the Bundesliga’s brightest stars over the past few years. Integral to Borussia Dortmund’s journey to the 2023–24 Champions League final, the imposing but technically impressive German has caught the eye with his defensive awareness, aerial prowess and expert distribution.

An aggressive left-footed defender who is entering his prime years at 26, Schlotterbeck should emerge as a target for Liverpool this summer. With his contract expiring in 2027, the defender is expected to depart at the end of the current campaign and the Premier League appears a likely destination. The Reds are regular frequenters of the Bundesliga market and could strike again.

Castello Lukeba

Schlotterbeck is not the only Bundesliga defender likely to interest Liverpool this summer. Castello Lukeba has blossomed into one of the finest prospects in the division with his blend of pace and defensive intelligence, starring for RB Leipzig over the past two-and-a-half seasons. The 23-year-old is also left-footed and made his senior France debut in 2023.

The Reds have a strong working relationship with Leipzig after deals for Ibrahima Konaté and Dominik Szoboszlai and could lean on that connection in a potential pursuit of Lukeba. The Frenchman’s £70 million ($94 million) release clause could prove a stumbling block for Liverpool, who will be loathed to pay such a hefty fee after last summer’s spend, but they would be investing in potential as well as talent.

Marcos Senesi

Premier League — Marcos Senesi is out of contract this summer. | Michael Steele/Getty Images

Marcos Senesi would be an opportunistic signing aimed to provide squad depth rather than star quality. The defender has impressed in a Bournemouth defence that was gutted last summer and despite not being the most physically dominant centre half, the Argentine’s aggressiveness and passing range have garnered attention.

Most important, however, is the 28-year-old’s contract situation. Senesi will be available on a free transfer at the end of the season, providing he doesn’t strike a new deal with the Cherries. That would offer Liverpool a cheap route to bolstering their backline—with squad depth issues only exacerbated should Konaté leave as a free agent this summer.

Joel Ordóñez

Joel Ordóñez is a product of the fabled Independiente del Valle academy in his native Ecuador. The club that has produced Moisés Caicedo, Willian Pacho and Piero Hincapié over recent years also laid the foundations for the 21-year-old defender, who has impressed since making the move to Europe and teaming up with Club Brugge.

Ordóñez has become an essential cog for the Belgian side and has been a reported Liverpool target over the past year. Their supposed interest in the 14-cap Ecuador international, who is certain to feature at this summer’s 2026 World Cup, could be reprised this summer as he would offer a cheaper alternative to the likes of Schlotterbeck and Lukeba.

Ronald Araújo

The future remains uncertain for Ronald Araújo. The Barcelona defender only penned a contract extension last January but still entered the summer under the microscope, with the Uruguayan having come under fire this season. He even took a mental health break following his red card at Chelsea in the Champions League after significant fan scrutiny.

Araújo has since returned for Barça but his long-term future is still up in the air. The Catalan giants might be willing to accept a bid for the 26-year-old over the summer and Liverpool would be remiss to not at least consider the talented defender, even if he’s unlikely to top their wishlist.

Jan Paul van Hecke

Liverpool’s Dutch contingent could gain a new member over the summer should the Reds turn their attention to promising Brighton & Hove Albion centre back Jan Paul van Hecke. The 25-year-old has been quietly impressing in the Premier League on a weekly basis, boasting a range of skills at the back. He’s physically powerful, terrific on the ball and a goalscoring threat, even if he lacks the pace of many modern day defenders.

The Dutchman has bags of Premier League experience, too, making him a desirable asset, while he’s already started alongside Van Dijk for the Netherlands. Brighton are by their nature a selling club and appear unlikely to stand in his path should Europe’s elite come calling. Liverpool are one of the names expected to be considering Van Hecke at the very least.

Micky van de Ven

Prising Micky van de Ven from Tottenham Hotspur appears less challenging now than ever. The continued decline of Spurs is alarming and despite their presence in this season’s Champions League, they appear unlikely to qualify for next term’s competition. At that point, the 24-year-old will have to question his future in north London.

Another potential Dutchman on Liverpool’s radar, Van de Ven would be an excellent addition. Linked briefly with Liverpool before his Tottenham switch, he’s flourished in the Premier League with his combination of speed, power and goalscoring threat and is already among the leading centre backs in the world. A massive fee would be required and a deal looks improbable right now, but he could well be the perfect signing for the Reds.