Liverpool’s centre-back options are likely to look a whole lot different come the start of the season.

The Reds ended some speculation over their defence towards the end of the campaign by signing Virgil van Dijk to a new contract.

However, Van Dijk aside, there are question marks over all three of Liverpool‘s other senior centre-backs.

One of them is already virtually certain to leave, with Liverpool having struck an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen over the sale of Jarell Quansah on Sunday.

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Quansah’s exit leaves Arne Slot with only Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez as possibilities to play in the middle of his defence.

Of course, there had been another option for Slot, with forgotten man Nat Phillips set to return from his loan spell at Derby County.

But after impressing in the Championship, Phillips is now finally set to call time on his career with Liverpool and secure a permanent transfer.

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Having last played for Liverpool in January 2023, Phillips has long since been forgotten by many fans.

However, the 28-year-old still has one year left on his deal at Anfield.

Having spent each of the past two seasons away from the Reds, it has been clear for quite some time that his future lies elsewhere.

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And, thankfully, journalist John Percy has reported that Phillips is ready to complete a long-awaited permanent move, joining West Bromwich Albion.

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“WBA are close to signing Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips in a permanent deal,” Percy reports on X.

West Brom’s new head coach Ryan Mason working on other signings ahead of this week’s return to pre-season.”

Phillips will always be remembered fondly at Liverpool for the way he stepped up during the injury-plagued 2020/21 season.

The former Bolton youngster barely put a foot wrong to help the Reds to an unlikely third-place finish and subsequently made 29 appearances.

However, it has been clear right from the get-go that Phillips would not have a long-term future playing for Liverpool.

It has taken a long while to get to this point, with the Reds often pricing Phillips out of a permanent transfer.

But it is superb news that the defender will finally be able to go out and forge his career.

Phillips did well in the Championship with Derby last year and with West Brom usually up and around the play-off places, he could even be back in the Premier League before long.