By Joel Lefevre

At the centre-back spot, as much as people have been calling for Konaté, among others, to be dropped, there’s just a lack of options that could do a job in his place.

However, there will be some viable alternatives for the Reds to consider that would not only make Konaté’s position less comfortable. At the same time, it could add more depth at a position extremely thin for Liverpool: centre-back. The transfer window opens on New Year’s Day.

Defensive Reinforcements - Why?

Hindsight is 20/20, though, when looking back at the 2025 summer transfer window, it’s clear Liverpool put far too much emphasis on its attack. While we’ve seen some strong play from Hugo Ekitiké, most of the new faces have struggled to integrate into Arne Slot’s way of playing.

Even when the Premier League champions got off to such a hot start, it was clear that this team’s Achilles heel was the backline. Ibrahima Konaté has not been nearly as sharp or consistent as we saw in their title-winning campaign, while it doesn’t appear Milos Kerkez is capable of handling the pressure of playing for a big club. Virgil van Dijk has been the most consistent defensive player for this group.

The problem Slot faces is that dropping a player like Konaté, for as poor as he’s been, isn't as simple as leaving out Mohamed Salah, Florian Wirtz, or Alexander Isak has been. There’s a first-rate player who can fill in either of those roles and do it at an elite level.

Here are five centre-backs the club should consider signing in January...

Joel Ordóñez – Club Brugge

Credit: El Comercio

At 21, the Ecuadorian is starting to evolve and make a name for himself as a solid centre-back. He was close to joining Marseille this past summer for a reported fee of around €30 million. Saudi Arabia reportedly increased that offer by €10 million, but in the end, he chose to remain in Belgium.

His age and physicality are appealing qualities for any team, while he’s shown the ability to come out of the back, make aggressive runs, and play the ball out from the back very effectively. Many of Liverpool’s additions over the summer were players who had become prominent fixtures in their previous squads. They were also of an age that figured into the club’s long-term future. Ordóñez ticks all of those boxes.

Virgil van Dijk won’t be around forever, but a player like Ordóñez is so mature and poised, and you’d think that under the Dutchman’s guidance, he could succeed him potentially in that role in the future.

Ousmane Diomandé – Sporting CP

Credit: AfricaFoot

Like Ordóñez, this Ivorian defender is likely to draw interest from clubs in bigger leagues than Portugal. Diomandé is notably strong in the air, agile, and has good acceleration and recovery speed. That should be a massive help for a Reds side that have been susceptible on the counter.

Diomandé’s versatility could be rather handy for Slot as he’s capable of playing in a back three or four. He’s also deceptively sharp in progressive passing, both short and long. His blend of physicality and technical ability is sure to appeal to Liverpool.

Konstantinos Koulierakis – Wolfsburg

Credit: Bundesliga

Nicknamed The Hammer, the Greek defender is a physical force who is not afraid of a little pushing and shoving. Despite being so robust and strong, he can move the ball effectively and is more than capable of breaking the lines with his distribution.

The Wolfsburg defender, who is extremely mature for his age at 22, can play centre-back but could also feature on the left, an area that Liverpool’s opponents seem to expose a lot.

He’s got work to do in 1v1 situations, but has drawn comparisons to Joško Gvardiol because of his defensive prowess and forward-thinking ability.

Zeno Debast – Sporting CP

Credit: Arsenal Station

Like his Sporting teammate, Zeno Debast is an elite passer from the back and is particularly strong at switching play. His calmness when in possession is particularly noticeable and ideal for sides that build from the back.

He fits the ideal mould of a player not afraid to carry the ball forward and contribute to attacks, but has the fitness to track back as well. He’s also strong in the air and assertive with his passes, and has been able to pick out forward players with accurate long balls.

Marc Guéhi – Crystal Palace

Credit: ESPN