Liverpool’s summer transfer plan is clear – and won’t depend on Ibrahima Konate

Liverpool have kept their powder relatively dry in recent transfer windows, despite an embarrassment of riches from their recent exploits on the pitch and their success at selling players for substantial profit.

The Reds' title defence has been a disaster this season, with injuries not helping Jurgen Klopp 's side.

Two stop-gap defenders were brought in in January in the form of Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies – but neither have managed to fill the void left by Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.

But Liverpool's plan this summer seems obvious – and that plan consists of finding a top-class centre-back when this nightmare campaign ends for Klopp's men.

A number of potential options have emerged in recent days, most notably RB Leipzig central defender Ibrahima Konate.

The 21-year-old is said to be available for £34m due to his release clause at the Bundesliga outfit.

Konate has reportedly undergone a medical at Liverpool already.

But other targets have been linked in recent months and the Reds will have their eye on them if a move for the Bundesliga defender falls through.

Duje Caleta-Car of Marseille almost signed on deadline day in January before Liverpool pulled the plug.

Kalidou Koulibaly is another target regularly linked with Manchester City and Manchester United.

But a move to Anfield could also materialise now Napoli have dramatically dropped their asking price for the Senegal international.

Liverpool also have the chance to sign Kabak permanently for £18m in the summer.

Klopp has also discussed signing a centre-back in recent months, admitting his Merseyside outfit need to find the 'right player'.

"I'm not sure there's an £80m centre-back available at the moment, or pretty much I know this. A player of this calibre, I'm not sure teams would sell them now," he said in February.

"We need to find the right player, that's clear, and it needs to suit our financial situation.

"It's the same situation as before, we work on this. If we don't sleep, we work. Everything is long-term, usually. It's about solutions and that's what we are working on."

Klopp also claimed: “You know the clubs where the centre-halves are obviously interesting because everyone is talking about them.

“Tell me if one of these clubs needs the money and needs to sell a player? And if they need money then they want crazy money.

“As a football fan you can sit at home and think: ‘They have to do something.’ But that’s not how it works.

“We see the situation. We lost probably two of the best centre-halves in the whole market in a period of six-seven weeks. For the whole season. That’s massive.

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