Liverpool transfer target priced ‘low’ as Arne Slot eyes Joël Matip replacement

Liverpool are likely to be linked with a number of players this summer as the post-Jürgen Klopp era really begins. The center of defense is definitely the area of ​​the team that needs the most attention.

Joël Matip looks set to leave as he is out of contract at the end of the season and has been injured since the end of 2023. Joe Gomez has barely played at centre-back this season, although Klopp’s successor may – very likely to be Arne Slot – brings the England international back to his prime position.

But if not, that would leave just Ibrahima Konaté, Jarell Quansah and Virgil van Dijk to cover two spots as the Reds compete on four fronts, including an expanded Champions League. It’s no surprise that the club are rumored to be looking at defensive reinforcements and have learned of a potential cut price for a heavily linked target.

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The player in question is Eintracht Frankfurt defender Willian Pacho. He has reportedly been interested in Liverpool for some time, although the four years remaining on his contract means a move may seem unlikely at the moment.

However, if the transfer fee required to sign Pacho has been reduced as claimed Sky Germany (via Liverpool Echo) then his current deal may not be as much of a problem for Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards. Frankfurt are said to have set their asking price at $53.8m (£43m/€50m) and $64.6m (£51.6m/€60m).

That would represent a cut of around $21.3m (£17m/€19.8m) on a previously reported cost for the Ecuadorian. However, Pacho’s value has skyrocketed since joining Frankfurt for just $9.7m (£7.7m/€9m) from Royal Antwerp last summer.

The 22-year-old, who has 10 caps and two goals for his country, has made 42 appearances this season. He has only missed one Bundesliga game and two in the UEFA Conference League, which shows his resilience.

Pacho’s scouting report on FBRef lists Marc Guéhi and Max Kilman among the defenders he is statistically most similar to. Other names such as Simon Kjær and Malick Thiaw are also present and have been linked with Liverpool in the past.

Liverpool.com says: While the sporting director will have changed, history shows that Liverpool will not shy away from paying such a fee for a young Bundesliga player. Pacho would cost less than what the Reds spent on Dominik Szoboszlai last summer, for example, and is a year younger than the Hungarian. This story could be set for a while.