At a Glance
- Liverpool battling Manchester United for defensive target
- Konate’s future remains uncertain
- Brentford man statistically impressive
Liverpool have now been joined by Manchester United in the race for a Premier League defender, who will cost Arne Slot’s Reds a bumper £55m.
There are still eight huge games left in the top-flight season for the Merseyside giants to break into the top-four picture.
Liverpool will be hoping the confidence that exuded from them after the 4-0 demolition job against Galatasaray in the Champions League carries over to the South Coast as they take on Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton and Hove Albion.
When all is said and done at the end of the season, no matter where the Reds finish, it looks like it will be a summer of significant change and upheaval in the transfer department.
Liverpool still don’t know if Ibrahima Konate will join the likes of Ryan Gravenberch in penning a new contract at Anfield. His current deal is up this summer.
Slot does have a £60m signing coming through the door to bolster at the back in Jeremy Jacquet, but injury concerns surrounding the young Frenchman have soured the early excitement of that move, somewhat.
New reports now seem to suggest that Liverpool are back in the hunt for more centre-back reinforcements, away from just clinching a deal for the Rennes youngster, with a wild £55m price-tag placed above this target.
Liverpool’s new centre-back target
TEAMTalk reports that Brentford star Nathan Collins is being monitored by a wide array of Premier League clubs right now, ahead of a transfer tussle for his services emerging in the summer.
While reliable journalist David Ornstein had previously stated that a fresh winger in through the door in the summer was a priority purchase, it appears that Slot and Co. are far more insistent on their backline being improved.
Indeed, the report states that Liverpool are keen, but they’re far from alone, as Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United have all regularly sent scouts to watch the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers titan in action as well.
Of all the clubs listed, the Red Devils are noted as the most upfront about their intentions for the Bees captain, with matters potentially accelerating when the window reopens.
Two of English football’s most historic foes could well butt heads for the signature of the £55m defender, with the Irishman worthy of such a lavish price tag, when looking deeper at his Brentford numbers.
Key Performance Comparison (2025/26 Season):
| Statistic: | Collins | Konate | Van Dijk |
| Interceptions | 68 | 38 | 44 |
| Clearances | 166 | 94 | 112 |
| Blocks | 47 | 29 | 47 |
| Aerial duel win % | 56.7% | 68.5% | 74.2% |
| Pass accuracy % | 79.0% | 88.2% | 85.9% |
| Progressive carries | 64 | 32 | 45 |
Amazingly, Collins has bettered both Konate and Van Dijk this season across certain aspects of their varied defensive games. More interceptions, clearances, and progressive carries were tallied up by the £55m-rated star than the Frenchman and the Dutchman have managed.
Collins, playing next to the likes of Konate and Van Dijk, could well become an even more dogged defender in the Premier League, having come on leaps and bounds already from his early Molineux education.
After all, he only cost the Bees £23m in the summer of 2023, and he is now being viewed as a £55m-level talent.
This has all the makings of being an intriguing transfer battle to keep your eyes on, with Liverpool’s want of Collins no doubt growing even stronger, knowing they can possibly beat their arch rivals to his coveted signature.
