Liverpool is once again being linked with Goncalo Inacio. We’ve profiled the defender amid apparent competition for his services from Manchester United and Arsenal.
According to Caught Offside, Liverpool has made the center-back position one of its top priorities this summer, amid uncertainty over the future of Virgil van Dijk. The 33-year-old has just a year left to run on his Anfield deal.
Meanwhile, Joel Matip left at the end of his contract. And the report claims that Inacio is admired as a possible addition to Arne Slot’s back line.
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Transfer links to Inacio are nothing new. He was mentioned as an option for Liverpool last summer (AS), before his release clause increased from $49m (£38m/€45m) to $66m (£50m/€60m).
Inacio then featured in the gossip columns again at the start of this summer, while Liverpool was on the hunt for a new manager. Ruben Amorim was briefly considered a leading candidate, albeit never by the club, and speculation was rife that he could take Inacio with him from Sporting CP.
Instead, it is Slot at the helm, but could Inacio still be an option? Putting aside the fact that if Liverpool liked him then it could have triggered his lower release clause last summer, there is a lot to like.
For one thing, it’s claimed that Sporting could be willing to compromise on the release clause and accept a lower fee. It’s unlikely that Liverpool would be able to get him for the price it could have paid last summer, but Inacio has amassed more experience since then, winning the Portuguese top flight and representing his country at Euro 2024.
He’s also a left-footed defender, an increasingly sought-after quality among Europe’s top teams. Van Dijk has played the left-sided role for Liverpool with aplomb despite being right-footed, but there’s a widespread belief that a natural “leftie” provides more balance when playing out from the back.
And at just 22, he certainly fits the Liverpool age criteria. Perhaps that’s why the Reds have supposedly become the “clear favorites”, ahead of both Manchester United and Arsenal.
Liverpool.com says: There is a nagging sense that Liverpool might have moved already if it really wanted Inacio. But the need for a center-back is more pronounced this summer, with Van Dijk a year older and Matip no longer at the club.
As with Amorim, there is a concern that Inacio is used to Sporting’s three-at-the-back system. But at such a young age, there would be plenty of time for Slot to mold him, should Liverpool be able to strike an agreeable deal.