Andoni Iraola makes Liverpool 'transfer plea' as Arsenal and Chelsea hijack eyed

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Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola is seemingly asking for more additions to his roster of players in the summer transfer window, with a plea made to land a new defender.Andoni Iraola is claimed to have asked for a new defender at Liverpool(Image: (Photo by Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images))Liverpool appears to be scouring the transfer market for potential defensive additions, as reports claim that Andoni Iraola has requested new options in his backline before the new season gets underway.It comes as the Reds have faced problems with the depth in the defense over the previous year, with a mixture of injuries and exits causing problems for the hierarchy to consider.Right-back has been a particular area of concern, following the exit of Trent Alexander-Arnold, as injuries have afflicted all of Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez, and Jeremie Frimpong, forcing other players to fill in on the flank.Centre-back was another potential concern, with Giovanni Leoni's long-term knee injury resulting in Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate taking on the burden of playing almost every game during a busy season.While the exit of the latter has seen him replaced with the arrival of Jeremy Jacquet, as well as a return for Leoni, there are still concerns over the depth if injuries strike again.With the transfer window still open, Liverpool can avoid a lack of options heading into next season, as well as a repeat of the Marc Guehi situation that occurred last summer, before it's too late.With that in mind, TeamTalk claims that Iraola has made it clear to Liverpool chiefs that he wants greater depth in the defense while the market is still open.That has led to the Reds considering options who could fill that, with both affordability and tactical fit having to play a role in who could eventually join.John Stones has been linked with Arsenal and Chelsea in recent days following his departure from Manchester City in the summerTwo names have been linked in the report with a potential switch to Anfield, the first of whom is former Manchester City and England defender John Stones.The 32-year-old is a free agent following the expiration of his contract at the Etihad Stadium, and has been on the radar of several top clubs over the course of the transfer window so far.Premier League rivals Chelsea and Arsenal have been heavily linked, while Inter Milan is another team seemingly in the mix to sign Stones, who could prove to be an affordable and quality option in the market.It's claimed that, despite his affiliation with Man City, Stones would be open to moving to Anfield, although there may be some concerns over his fitness record.Beyond the experienced centre-back, Liverpool is also being linked with Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa as a potential option before the window slams shut.The 28-year-old has also been linked with Arsenal, but could provide greater depth and versatility, having played as both a centre-back and a right-back in his top-flight career so far.It remains to be seen exactly how much Aston Villa would value him at, however, which could end up playing an important role in any approach from Liverpool.Either way, it seems as though the Reds will consider what is next in the backline, as the transfer market heats up.