Liverpool could be about to replace both Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez without spending a penny - opinion
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Liverpool are likely to continue a rebuild of their options at centre-back during 2026.
The Reds have relied upon the same players for much of the past half-decade, with only two players arriving since 2021.
Ibrahima Konate joined from RB Leipzig four years ago, and remained the last central defender Liverpool signed until they brought Giovanni Leoni in this summer.
Of course, Liverpool almost got a second through the door before the window closed, but Crystal Palace pulled out of a deal for Marc Guehi at the last second.
There is an expectation that Liverpool will come back in for Guehi once his contract with Palace ends next summer.
If the England international does arrive, it could be to replace Konate, who is currently set to depart at the end of the season.
But there is a chance Liverpool will need to find a successor for Joe Gomez as well, and as it turns out, they could also do that without spending a penny in the market.
Photo by Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images
There remains a chance that Konate signs a contract extension and stays at Liverpool, but for now the general feeling in the fanbase is that the Frenchman will leave.
While that would be a blow to Arne Slot, the arrival of Guehi would very much soften it.
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But with Virgil van Dijk out of contract in 2027 and Gomez potentially looking for a way out too, Slot knows he must do more than Guehi.
Van Dijk will remain at least up until the end of his deal, but after falling down the pecking order, it would not be a surprise to see Gomez leave in 2026.
Should he go, Liverpool would be smart to take a look at the possibility of bringing Bayern Munich centre-back Dayot Upamecano to Anfield.
As Rousing The Kop exclusively revealed on Saturday, Liverpool are keeping tabs on Upamecano’s situation as he enters the final months of his contract in Munich.
And if they end up swapping Konate and Gomez for Guehi and Upamecano, it would arguably prove an upgrade for Slot.
The signing of Leoni – and Van Dijk’s contract renewal – were important steps in the evolution of Slot’s centre-back options.
But more work needs to be done.
It is not easy to play centre-back for Liverpool, and when Van Dijk does eventually leave that is likely to become ever more clear.
In Guehi and Upamecano, though, the Reds could sign two players who, along with Leoni, could step up once the captain does call it a day.
Between then, they can form a unit of elite defenders who ensure that Liverpool are in safe hands at the back.
It remains to be seen whether Upamecano resolves his future at the Allianz Arena, but if he is available, it would make an awful lot of sense for Liverpool to target the 26-year-old alongside Guehi.