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Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes(Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Cut to the office of Richard Hughes.

And there pinned to the wall is a lengthy to-do list for the Liverpool sporting director this summer.

Right-back?



In progress.

To say the Reds have been busy in the market this summer would be an understatement, their outlay of almost £200million - not counting the £70m-plus that will be required to take Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, nor the £29m agreed for Giorgi Mamardashvili last year - already the club's highest in a single transfer window.

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There is, though, one area of the team for which there hasn't been a permanent new addition in more than four years.

And Hughes and his recruitment colleagues will almost certainly have no option but to address the matter sooner rather than later with the start of the Premier League season now less than a month away.

Arne Slot's insistence there are two senior options for every position highlights Liverpool are now one short of the desired four recognised centre-back alternatives.

Liverpool permitting the £35m sale of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen raised more than a few eyebrows regardless of whether it left the squad, at least temporarily, down on numbers.

Still only 22 with huge potential and significant experience under his belt while already called up to the England senior squad, Quansah would arguably fit the profile of a centre-back Fenway Sports Group would ideally want Liverpool to sign.

Slot, though, sanctioned the departure based on having worked with the player for a full season in which Quansah started only four Premier League games.

But the Japan international has rarely been used in defence since moving to Anfield two years ago.

And there are obvious question marks over some of those who remain.

Gomez struggled with injury for large parts of last season, with his appearance in the friendly win at Preston North End last Sunday his first outing since early February.

While Van Dijk has penned a new two-year deal, Konate has yet to thrash out a fresh agreement with Liverpool having entered the final 12 months of his current contract.

With Spanish sources claiming Real Madrid are ready to take him on a free transfer next year, this summer may represent the last opportunity for Liverpool to gain significant money for Konate.

Given Sepp van den Berg never made a Premier League outing, Ozan Kabak was on loan and Ben Davies failed to make an appearance in any competition, Konate, who was signed later that year, is actually the only subsequently established centre-back Liverpool have bought since taking Van Dijk from Southampton for £75m way back in January 2018.

Nat Phillips, Rhys Williams and Billy Koumetio all came through the Academy ranks to start games, but none became a fixture in the side.

And while teenager Amara Nallo made a brief first-team breakthrough last season, none of the youth ranks at present appear ready just yet to make the permanent step up.

Liverpool, of course, have been seeking a young centre-back for some time, as evidenced by their failed pursuits of Levi Colwill, Leny Yoro and, most recently, Dean Huijsen.
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