Liverpool have a glaring transfer need to address as Richard Hughes’ task must be clear

Jarell Quansah was the breakout star of Jürgen Klopp’s final season at Liverpool. In a campaign where he barely put a foot wrong, the 21-year-old made more than 30 appearances at senior level for the Reds.

Even with Ibrahima Konaté available, Quansah was selected last weekend to play Tottenham. The team sheet against Aston Villa, should the younger option start again, could indicate a change in the foot order, with only his mistake against Manchester United standing out as a difficult moment in 2023/24.

“We play once a week and we just look at who looks at their best and Jarell is one of them,” Klopp explained when pressed on his selection during Friday’s press conference. “That’s right, we don’t play three centre-halves so it means you have to make a decision and Jarell is training really well and we have a lot of training sessions.

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“It’s not that Ibou or Joe (Gomez) aren’t training well, but Jarell is doing really well and that’s the way it is and that’s why I make these decisions. This is the best situation I can have, just look at it and I’ve seen a lot of football in my life, so if you get a chance to make that decision, you can decide at that level who’s a little bit better, then we do it.”

But it remains true that Liverpool need to bring in one more defender when the transfer window opens. In fact, this is the main task that Richard Hughes, the Reds’ new sporting director, will have to tackle.

Liverpool still have one major transfer need that stands above the rest this summer: bringing in a centre-back. Arguments can be made to add more quality in midfield and attack, but it is Liverpool’s defense where it is most needed.

Quansah is still only 21, and Konaté’s injury history suggests he can’t be relied on too much, even if he is the undisputed first choice. Joël Matip is leaving when his contract expires.

Virgil van Dijk is likely to sign a new deal to keep him at Liverpool beyond the summer of 2025 when his current deal runs out, but even so, the Dutchman isn’t getting any younger. Ideally, a long-term successor to him can be found in the same signing that can ensure Van Dijk is rotated a bit more to prolong his career as much as possible.

The one area of ​​the squad that Klopp is leaving behind for Arne Slot that seems lacking in numbers is the defence. While this can change quickly with, for example, Caoimhín Kelleher pushing to move on or an offer arriving for someone like Luis Díaz or Darwin Núñez that is simply too big to turn down, the rest of the squad looks relatively balanced.

There is a case to add more in the midfield department, but Stefan Bajčetić returns from injury and Bobby Clark will hope to step up again. Unless someone leaves, adding another striker would be closer to a bonus than a necessity.

At centre-back, however, Liverpool have paid dearly for letting themselves down in the past and cannot repeat the same mistake. Despite Quansah’s brilliance and undoubted potential, adding another equally talented player at his position is a must.