Liverpool kick off their Premier League campaign with a clash against Ipswich Town this time next week, opening the season with a game at Portman Road.
There will be a new man in the dugout for the first time since 2015 as Arne Slot prepares for his competitive debut as the club's manager, having replaced Jurgen Klopp at the end of last season.
The Dutchman has been brought in from Feyenoord and is yet to be backed with a new signing in the summer transfer window, which has been open for almost two months.
However, that is not through a lack of trying as the Reds are reportedly confident that they will get a deal over the line for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who has a £51m release clause in his contract with the Spanish side.
This means that Slot could be set to bolster his options in the middle of the park, the number six position in particular, but that is not the only area of the pitch that could see some change before the end of the summer transfer window.
Possible defensive changes for Liverpool
Football Insider recently reported that there are some doubts over central defender Ibrahima Konate's future at Anfield, after his short time with the new manager.
The outlet claimed that the Liverpool boss has been left unconvinced by the France international's fitness issues and performances, both in training and in matches.
This could open the door to a possible exit from the club before the end of the window but Football Insider did not reveal whether or not there is any active interest in his services.
Meanwhile, GIVEMESPORT claims that Slot is keen on a move for Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva to bolster his defensive set-up this summer.
The report states that the Dutch boss is currently assessing his central defensive options and has identified the Portuguese starlet as a possible target.
It adds that the Benfica enforcer has a release clause of £85m in his current contract but it remains to be seen whether or not the Reds could negotiate a cheaper fee for his signature.
GIVEMESPORT reveals that Willian Pacho, who is set to sign for PSG, and Leny Yoro, who signed for Manchester United, were also targets for the club earlier in the window.
The Reds must now press ahead with a move for Silva if they decide to cash in on Konate, as he could be the dream replacement for the Frenchman.
Ibrahima Konate's form last season
In the 2023/24 campaign, the former RB Leipzig central defender only started 17 matches in the Premier League as he struggled to remain fit.
He missed five games through injury or suspension and was then an unused substitute in 11 outings in the top-flight, which suggests that Klopp either was not happy with his performances or with his fitness levels when available.
In those 17 games in the Premier League, it was a mixed bag from Konate as he showcased his physical attributes with dominant defending, but was also prone to the occasional error.
Starts
17
Dribbled past
7x
Error led to goal
1
Red cards
1
Ground duel success rate
60%
Aerial duel success rate
71%
As you can see in the table above, he did win the majority of his battles on the ground and in the air but also let the side down with a red card and an error that led directly to a goal.
Those lapses in judgement and concentration might be what Slot has been left unconvinced by when analysing his performances, which is why his future is now in doubt.
There is also the concern over his fitness issues. Konate has missed 85 games through injury for club and country since the start of the 2019/20 campaign, for RB Leipzig, Liverpool, and France combined.
This means that it is difficult for Slot to rely upon him heading into the 2024/25 campaign as he has a track record of picking up injury issues that keep him out of action for a significant period of time.
Therefore, Liverpool should swoop to sign Silva from Benfica before the end of the summer transfer window as a dream replacement for him.
Why Antonio Silva would be a dream signing
Firstly, the 20-year-old is yet to suffer a single significant or noteworthy injury in his professional career to date, with zero games missed through injury – per Transfermarkt.
Despite his young age, Silva has already racked up 94 appearances for Benfica in all competitions, having made his breakthrough as a regular fixture in the side during the 2022/23 campaign.
This shows that the Portugal international is a reliable and durable performer who can be called upon week-in-week-out without any concerns about his fitness or availability, unlike Konate.
Therefore, Slot could bring him into the squad and know that he would be able to rely on him as a regular starter next to Virgil van Dijk, in competition with Jarell Quansah, due to his excellent injury record.
At the age of 20, Silva would also arrive at Anfield as a player with huge potential as he has many, many, years left ahead of him to develop and improve under the Reds boss, which could make him a fantastic signing for now and for the future.
Appearances
30
22
Pass accuracy
93%
88%
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.9
2.5
Duel success rate
67%
66%
Ground duel success rate
72%
60%
As you can see in the table above, the Benfica enforcer could also come in and be an upgrade on Konate if he can translate his form over to the Premier League, as he won a higher percentage of his duels and completed a higher percentage of his passes last term.
Silva also went through the season without picking up a red card or making a single error that led to a goal, which suggests that he is more reliable at the back than the Liverpool dud.
The £85m-rated star, who was described as "aggressive" by analyst Ben Mattinson, appears to be the perfect replacement for Konate on paper, due to his availability, ability, and potential to improve.
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