Liverpool Monitoring 'World-Class Star Ahead of Move

Highlights

Liverpool are targeting Lille’s Leny Yoro and Frankfurt’s Willian Pacho to come in as new centre-backs.
There is competition from top clubs for Yoro, which puts pressure on Liverpool to secure the deal.
An improved defensive unit is crucial for Liverpool to regain consistency and mount a title challenge.

Liverpool’s search for a centre-back continues with Arne Slot having only just having taken the hot seat at the club – and with many names being linked with a move to Anfield, Fabrizio Romano has exclusively told GIVEMESPORT that club scouts have taken a liking to Lille prodigy Leny Yoro and Frankfurt star Willian Pacho ahead of potential summer moves.

With long-serving star Joel Matip set to leave in the summer after the expiration of his contract, a top-class partner for Virgil van Dijk is crucial if the club are going to be able to replicate the successes under Jurgen Klopp – and Yoro, who has been described as a ‘world-class’ talent, has been linked though Liverpool will face competition for his signature.

Liverpool: Defender Search Latest

The Reds are in the market for a new defender

There have been a plethora of names linked with the Reds thus far in the window, though none have come to fruition just yet. Portuguese star Antonio Silva has been linked for weeks, though huge fees will be required to bring them to Merseyside due to their national successes and breakthroughs into the Portuguese EURO 2024 squad.

Levi Colwill of Chelsea has been linked despite his injury hit season; but Chelsea deem the young Englishman not for sale, as GIVEMESPORT revealed on Monday – and it seems as though he will be set to stay in west London for the time being under new possession-heavy boss Enzo Maresca.

Leny Yoro’s Ligue 1 statistics – Lille squad ranking
Stats	Output	Squad rank
Appearances	32	4th
Aerial Duels Won Per Game	1.4	=3rd
Clearances Per Game	3	2nd
Tackles Per Game	1.1	=7th
Interceptions Per Game	1.1	=4th
Match rating	6.74	10th
Statistics via WhoScored – Correct as of 04/06/2024

Pacho and Yoro are names that have also been touted. The former has been Frankfurt’s most impressive star this season thanks to a series of committed, brave and composed defensive performances that dragged the side to a sixth-placed finish in the Bundesliga – whilst Yoro has been dubbed as someone who will ‘reach the summits’ by Angel Gomes given their time at Lille together.

Who Slot will go for is anyone’s guess; the Reds have assets to sell on in the summer but who they will be able to bring in could depend on a number of factors including price and availability.

Romano: Liverpool “For Sure” Will Sign a New Centre-Back

Romano says Liverpool have scouted both Yoro and Pacho

Lille central defender Leny Yoro shielding the ball away from Paris Saint-Germain attacker Kylian Mbappe

Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT, Romano said that the Reds had scouted the duo – but they face competition for Yoro from Real Madrid. He said:

“A player they really like but there are many clubs on him is, for example, Leny Yoro. He is on the list of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool, who have also been scouting him – so let’s see what happens there.

“And then [Willian] Pacho from Eintracht Frankfurt is another player they have been monitoring and scouting. But again, we have to see who is the player they really want to bring in.

“This isn’t decided yet, and so for sure, Liverpool will go in for a new centre-back – but they still have to decide who is the player that they want to bring in.”

How Arne Slot Can Turn Liverpool’s Fortunes Around

The Dutchman has big shoes to fill

Liverpool dropped off towards the end of last season, despite leading the Premier League at times last season – with squad injuries and form playing a huge part in a collapse that could have seen them win the quadruple.

Having lifted the Carabao Cup at the end of February, the Reds were dramatically knocked out of the FA Cup at Manchester United in the last minute of extra-time, before a comprehensive defeat by eventual winners Atalanta in the Europa League and of course, their collapse in the league.

Slot will be keen to avenge that. Even if points aren’t picked up as quickly as they were in the first half of the season, more consistency will be needed to last the full battle and with a spate of new signings, that could become a reality that could win them the title.