Paul Gorst warns Liverpool on centre‑back gamble

Paul Gorst told the Liverpool Echo that the club should be more active in the centre‑back market this summer. He said Liverpool risked a dangerous gap after Ibrahima Konate leaves as a free agent. Konate’s departure ends a five‑year spell at Anfield. During that time he formed a partnership with Virgil van Dijk that stabilised Liverpool’s defence. Liverpool have already signed Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes. Giovanni Leoni remains highly regarded despite a recent serious ACL injury. Neither Jacquet nor Leoni have yet played in the Premier League. In the Q&A Gorst explained that the plan is to give chances to Jacquet and Leoni while monitoring the market. He added that the club would act if a senior defender becomes available at a reasonable price. Supporters fear that an injury could leave Liverpool short of experienced central defenders. On paper the club has four senior options: Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Jacquet and Leoni. Gomez has suffered multiple injury setbacks in recent seasons. Liverpool’s recruitment team remains confident in the young players as part of long‑term planning. The club is expected to prioritise several areas, with a new winger high on the agenda. Centre‑back remains a compelling discussion despite other positional needs. Gorst argued Liverpool should not rely on market luck and should proactively target a first‑choice centre‑half. He warned that the decision could become one of the most important of the summer transfer window.