Liverpool may be about to sign another young centre-back who has just impressed at the World Cup
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Liverpool badly need a centre-back in what remains of the summer transfer window as they grapple with a worsening injury situation.Andoni Iraola has already ruled Joe Gomez out for the start of the Premier League season, while Jeremy Jacquet did not train ahead of Sunday’s friendly against Leeds, despite assurances from the head coach that he would be ready in time.Virgil van Dijk is currently Liverpool‘s only senior fit centre-back, but with the captain not joining the rest of the squad in Chicago, Iraola will have to rely on 18-year-olds Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye one again. Who would be your choice of centre-back signing for Liverpool this summer?
The Reds clearly need to do something after fresh injuries to Jacquet and Gomez Photo Credit: Getty Images/Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC Liverpool were linked with Fikayo Tomori on Friday, and they could do with an experienced player such as the AC Milan stopper.However, the Reds have been on a youth recruitment drive recently, and in June there were claims that Liverpool are keeping close tabs on Lucas Herrington, another 18-year-old defender who impressed at the World Cup with Australia. And after journalist Rudy Galetti claimed that Herrington is on the verge of a move to England, Reds fans could be seeing another teenaged defensive prospect arrive at Anfield.Lucas Herrington waiting to finalise Premier League moveBack in June, when reports of Liverpool’s interest in Herrington emerged, the Reds were the only Premier League club named as being definitely keen on the Colorado Rapids defender.Barcelona had already tried to sign him, but had been knocked back by the MLS side, and it seems that the Catalans decided to leave it there.Photo by Stu Forster/Getty ImagesREAD MORE: Bradley Barcola to Liverpool just became much more likely as PSG pick his replacementAccording to Galetti, though, Premier League clubs continued to push for Herrington, and on Friday evening he revealed that an unnamed team from England is set to sign the Australia international.“A Premier League club is in the final stages of negotiations for Lucas Herrington,” Galetti posted on X.“The 18yo Colorado Rapids CB, tracked by several top European clubs, is now highly likely to move to England.“The Australian is pushing for the deal as playing in the EPL is his dream.”Why a Liverpool move for Herrington makes senseAt this stage, Liverpool signing any centre-back should be seen as good news for supporters.Most would prefer an experienced player like Tomori who can come in and keep the seat warm for Ndukwe while he embarks on an enforced loan move this season.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Sarah Stier/FIFA But someone like Herrington would also make sense, with Liverpool then able to build a core young group of the Australian, Ndukwe, Ndiaye, Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni.With Van Dijk and Gomez out of contract next summer, the Reds could bet on this young collection of big talents to step up and replace Van Dijk in particular between them.Herrington is clearly more first-team ready than either Ndukwe or Ndiaye, and has already made 48 senior appearances at club level for Brisbane Roar and Colorado Rapids, as well as registering six caps for Australia, including two outings at the World Cup.He is unlikely to cost a huge amount, relatively, and could provide another valuable option to Iraola, who has a history of helping talented young centre-backs adapt to the Premier League. Clearly, there are 19 other teams who Herrington could be joining as well, but there is good reason to believe that Liverpool may end up winning this race.