Liverpool’s Defensive Concerns: Iraola’s Priority for Centre-Backs

Liverpool’s defensive alarm bells are ringing, and Andoni Iraola is not pretending otherwise.

Barely into pre-season, the new head coach has told the club’s hierarchy that centre-back is a priority position, with the opening weeks of his tenure already exposing how thin Liverpool are for senior options at the heart of their defence.

Early warning signs for Iraola

The warning came in real time. In a friendly against Sunderland, Joe Gomez limped off inside the first 10 minutes, leaving Iraola to turn to 18-year-olds Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe to see the game out. Liverpool still won, but the message was stark: behind the established names, the cupboard is almost bare.

Virgil van Dijk, the captain and cornerstone of the back line, remains on an extended post-World Cup break. Summer signings Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni are still working their way back from injury. For a coach whose system leans heavily on structure, aggression, and control, the lack of experienced cover in central defence has already become a problem that can’t be kicked down the road.

So Liverpool have accelerated their search.

Stones at the centre of Liverpool’s plans

Sources indicate that the club are now actively working through a list of targets, with England internationals John Stones and Ezri Konsa both under serious consideration.

Stones is the headline name. At 32, he has just left Manchester City as a free agent, a rare opportunity in the market for a proven, ball-playing defender with elite experience. His stock rose again with an outstanding World Cup under Thomas Tuchel, and that form has drawn interest not just from across the Premier League, but also from clubs in Europe, MLS and the Saudi Pro League.

Liverpool, though, are firmly in the conversation. Stones is open to discussing a move to Anfield, even as he also holds talks with Arsenal and Chelsea while weighing up the next phase of his career. For a club looking to refresh its defensive core without a huge transfer fee, a player of his profile and availability is difficult to ignore.

Konsa’s versatility appeals

Konsa has emerged as another serious option. The Aston Villa defender is admired not only for his quality at centre-back, but also for his ability to slide across to right-back when required. That kind of flexibility fits neatly with Iraola’s demands for a fluid, adaptable back line.

Liverpool see that positional range as a major asset, especially with Gomez’s fitness record and the tactical tweaks Iraola is likely to introduce. Arsenal remain keen on Konsa, but Liverpool have now joined the race, assessing him alongside a wider group of defensive targets.

Familiar face in Paris

One of those is Illia Zabarnyi, whose name has quietly re-entered the frame. The Paris Saint-Germain defender, formerly of Bournemouth, has grown frustrated by a lack of regular minutes in France. Liverpool have been made aware that a deal could be possible, even if it would be complicated.

For Iraola, Zabarnyi is more than just a name on a list. The Spaniard knows the Ukraine international extremely well from their time together on the south coast and remains a huge admirer of his game. If the conditions fall into place, he would welcome the chance to reunite with a defender who understands his demands and tempo.

Dream targets out of reach – for now

Liverpool’s recruitment team have not abandoned their long-term “dream” profiles either. Chelsea’s Levi Colwill and Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven remain high on the club’s internal wish list. Both fit the age, athletic profile and technical level the club ideally want to build around.

Right now, though, those moves look remote. Sources suggest neither London club has any intention of sanctioning a sale, shutting down realistic hopes of a deal at this stage of the window.

The Reds are also staying close to developments around Antonio Silva and Ousmane Diomande. Silva is expected to complete a move to Bournemouth, while Nottingham Forest are advancing in talks for Diomande. Even so, Liverpool have continued to receive updates on both, such is their long-standing admiration.

Iraola has made his stance clear. He wants another leader at the back, someone who can anchor his defensive structure and steady a squad already feeling the strain before the real football starts. Whether that figure turns out to be Stones, Konsa, Zabarnyi or a late-window surprise, Liverpool’s next move in the market will say plenty about how bold they intend to be in reshaping the spine of this team.