According to a recent report by Goal.com, Liverpool right-back Nathaniel Clyne will depart the Merseyside club at the end of this campaign with West Ham United and Bournemouth prepared to battle it out for his services. The same source has also revealed that the Reds are willing to let him leave but will look to recoup around £15m for him in the summer.
Clyne is currently playing on loan at the Vitality Stadium where he has put in a few eye-catching displays during this campaign. The 27-year-old has featured in 12 matches for the Cherries thus far across all competitions. He has made an average of 2.5 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 1.8 clearances for Bournemouth per game in the Premier League (Stats taken from Whoscored).
Liverpool have not missed the English defender too much as Trent Alexander-Arnold has been playing the best football of his young career at right-back this season. However, when the England wonderkid is unavailable either due to injury or suspension, then Klopp has a dilemma of playing either Jordan Henderson or James Milner as a makeshift right-back which doesn’t suit well for a team aspiring to win trophies in the coming years.
Hence, recruiting a new full-back is a necessity for the Reds if they are serious about challenging on all fronts next season. Here are three defenders Klopp should (and could) look to sign during the summer transfer period.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
The Crystal Palace full-back has risen to prominence at Selhurst Park this season after putting in some impressive displays for them down the right flank. The English talent could be a shrewd acquisition for the Reds as he would be able to rival Alexander-Arnold for years to come as they are both capable enough of securing a regular starting berth in the English top-flight.
There is no doubt that Alexander-Arnold is a more potent attacking threat, but one can argue that Wan-Bissaka is the better defender so Klopp should consider signing him next summer.
Mario Gaspar
The Spanish full-back has a wealth of experience at the highest level as he has been a key member of the Villarreal team for nearly a decade. His knowledge about the game could help some of the younger Liverpool players perform at their best in high-pressure scenarios. Hence, the Reds should look to lure him to Anfield next summer.
Ricardo Pereira
The Portuguese sensation is versatile enough to play in multiple positions across the pitch. However, he is primarily a right-back and knows how to be productive in the opposition half. Pereira has scored two goals and grabbed six assists in 32 matches for Leicester City this season. So his numbers this term prove that he has what it takes to compete with Alexander-Arnold for a starting berth at Anfield.
