🚨 Liverpool’s backline concerns grow deeper as key defensive targets slip away again…

Liverpool’s ongoing quest to strengthen their defence is hitting a wall — and history seems to be repeating itself.

According to a fresh report by The Times’ Paul Joyce, the Reds are down to just two senior centre-backs: Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté. Joe Gomez is sidelined with an Achilles injury after returning from preseason duty, while Jarell Quansah was sold to Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer for around £30 million.

This leaves Arne Slot in a precarious position as the new season approaches, with the defensive ranks thinner than ever.

Joyce also revealed that Liverpool have failed in their attempts to sign three highly-rated defenders over the past three summers — Leny Yoro, Levi Colwill, and Dean Huijsen — all slipping through their grasp. With Real Madrid recently swooping in for Huijsen, it’s another reminder of how swiftly the Reds can lose ground in the market.

One name still on the radar is Marc Guehi. The Crystal Palace defender, who played a key role in their FA Cup triumph and is now entering the final year of his contract, is admired at Anfield. However, Liverpool reportedly won’t get dragged into a long-winded negotiation or risk overpaying.

Joyce wrote: “They admire Guehi but are unlikely to engage in a drawn-out transfer saga.”

With Gomez injured and both Quansah and Nat Phillips no longer at the club, the urgency for reinforcements is growing. Liverpool are actively scouting young centre-backs across Europe, seeking the right blend of potential, affordability, and long-term value.

After already allowing several defensive departures and sanctioning Trent Alexander-Arnold’s blockbuster move to Real Madrid, failure to bring in fresh legs soon could leave Slot with dangerously limited options at the heart of defence for the new campaign.

⏳ Time is ticking – and unless Liverpool act fast, they could be left relying on a dangerously thin backline once again.