Liverpool set to steal a march on Real Madrid and Man Utd in battle for defensive target
Liverpool ahead in race to sign Odilon Kossounou
Liverpool are believed to be trying to get in ahead of their Premier League rivals Manchester United and Newcastle United as well as La Liga giants Real Madrid as they try to sign Odilon Kossounou.
It would be quite the coup for the returning Michael Edwards if Liverpool were to win the transfer race for the in-demand centre-back this summer.
Fabrizio Romano has reported that Liverpool are the club currently pushing hardest to sign the Bayer Leverkusen stalwart.
Kossounou, who is prominently featured on the Reds’ preseason wish list, is also regarded highly by Man Utd and Newcastle and has drawn interest from the Spanish champions.
While his current contract with the Bundesliga winners only expires in 2026, he has been offered a new and enhanced deal to stay at the BayArena for the foreseeable future.
Kossounou would be a real box-ticker for Liverpool on the transfer front as he is a first team-ready centre-back who is also on the young side at just 23 years old. He hasn’t had any significant injury issues and Liverpool view him as a player who could become a key man for them in the years to come.
A composed, ball-playing centre-half, Kossounou fits the mould of the kind of player that Arne Slot would like to have as a partner to Virgil van Dijk.
The concern for Liverpool may be that the actual defensive side of his game might be exposed in the physical cauldron that is the Premier League.
Liverpool view Kossounou as a more affordable option amid other blockbuster defenders who would cost the Anfield club a pretty penny this summer.
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Liverpool know that signing a centre-back is key
A primary goal for Liverpool for the upcoming transfer window is to procure a top-tier centre-back.
They want to sign a long-term replacement for Joel Matip, who will soon leave Anfield on a free transfer.
Jarrell Quansah has demonstrated he has what it takes to play in the Premier League, but Liverpool are still eager to add more competition to the mix.
Leverkusen have been more than a little concerned that Kossounou’s form dropped off after he returned from a championship run at the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast last season.
That fact, and Kossounou’s likely involvement in future AFCONs, could put Liverpool off, with the tournament still not in sync with the FIFA and UEFA schedules.
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