Liverpool have lined up three centre-backs as potential replacements for Dejan Lovren this summer, according to AS.
The Croatian has been tipped to leave Anfield at the end of the season, following six seasons in a Reds shirt.
The three players who are reportedly being monitored by Liverpool are Atletico Madrid’s Jose Gimenez, Inter Milan youngster Alessandro Bastoni and RB Leipzig key man Dayot Upamecano.
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I believe Lovren’s time at Anfield should be up, having been far too inconsistent for too long. The shock defeat at Watford last month summed up his shortcomings, with the Croatian coming in for Joe Gomez and suffering a woeful day at the office.
Gimenez, Bastoni and Upamecano could all be upgrades, in my opinion, perhaps even pushing Gomez for a regular starting berth. Gimenez has lost his place in the Atletico team and could excel at Liverpool, proving to be Virgil van Dijk’s more physical centre-back partner. Despite being just 25, he has plenty of experience, playing 167 times for a side famed for their defensive prowess.
Meanwhile, Upamecano, is widely viewed as one of Europe’s most exciting young defenders, averaging an impressive 3.2 tackles per game in the Champions League this season.
Bastoni is the least-heralded of three, only making 12 Serie A starts in 2019/20, and he is probably less likely to demand regular first-team action at Anfield, at least to begin with given his inexperience.
Should any of them replace Lovren in the summer, Jurgen Klopp could be left with four genuinely strong centre-back options for the first time in Reds tenure, with Van Dijk, Gomez and Joel Matip all key figures currently.
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