Liverpool set sights on another £35m centre-back despite Marc Guehi links

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Liverpool are ready to offer more than £35 million in January as they look to bring in a new centre-back.Their backline has been under the microscope this season, with Ibrahima Konate struggling for form and consistency.Others have not fared much better. For instance, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez have also come in for criticism, with few members of the squad performing at their best.That is why it is no shock to see new names popping up in transfer rumours around Anfield this winter.Antoine Semenyo has been mentioned in connection with Liverpool, but strengthening the back line seems a more pressing need than adding another forward.Moves now appear to be underway to shore things up at the back under Arne Slot, who is looking for more stability from his starting XI.Joel Ordonez attracts Liverpool’s interest as January window approachesPhoto by EyesWideOpen/Getty ImagesLiverpool did not add enough depth to their centre-back options during the summer window, and that has become even more apparent now.With Giovanni Leoni sidelined for the rest of the season, Slot is left with just three choices in that position.Marc Guehi has been linked with a potential move, but according to Bola VIP, Joel Ordonez from Club Brugge is now at the top of their list.The Portuguese outlet notes that Liverpool view the Ecuadorian as a key part of their January plans.Links between Ordonez and the Reds have surfaced before, though nothing materialised at the time.Bola VIP also reports that Liverpool are prepared to pay over €40 million (£35 million) to bring him in.The club are also said to be ready to offer him a salary worth around €3 million (£2.6 million) per year.While several other teams are interested in signing Ordonez in future windows, it is believed Liverpool could move ahead by putting more money on the table than anyone else.Liverpool need to do something about their defence in JanuaryEven though Virgil van Dijk will do everything he can to bring more discipline to the back line, it is hard to see how much difference that will make with the way the Reds are playing right now.Van Dijk has not been at his best either, but the fact that he still stands out among Liverpool’s defenders this season speaks volumes about how far standards have slipped.Even when they started the campaign with five straight Premier League wins, most of those came through late goals rather than dominant performances.And a lot of their defensive issues come from errors at the back.

If they do not sort it out soon, any hopes of a title challenge will fade quickly.READ MORE: Arne Slot plots surprise move for Palace test as Liverpool star set for first startThings will only deteriorate for Liverpool if they do not sign a new centre-back or, at the very least, strengthen their back four in some capacity during January.