OPINION
Liverpool are reportedly monitoring Leicester City centre-back Harry Maguire and it would be a huge mistake to welcome him to Anfield.
The Guardian report that Jurgen Klopp has made signing a high-class centre-back his priority in this window and that the Foxes’ 6ft 4in tall (Transfermarkt) defender is one of the options that has been looked at by the Reds.
This means at the very least that the Merseyside giants are considering making a 6ft 4in mistake as Maguire is not a player they should be thinking of signing anytime soon.
The 25-year-old is an amazing talent given the fact he is a tough-tackling defender, who more often then not wins the ball, as well as being comfortable with the ball at his feet.
However the Reds already have one colossus defender in the heart of their defence in the form of Virgil van Dijk.
While the prospect of two giants protecting the Reds’ goal may seem enticing, van Dijk would be better suited to having a centre-back next to him who excels where he does not.
While van Dijk is one of the most complete central defenders in the league, he would still benefit from having a central defensive partner who was more mobile and could help cover the more pacey attackers the Reds are destined to come across.
Maguire is oddly similar to van Dijk, though way behind him in terms of quality currently, and wouldn’t necessarily compliment the Dutch international in the Reds’ back line.
Despite this the 25-year-old whose reputation is flourishing after impressing in his 44 appearances for Leicester City in his 2017/18 campaign would be a signing that would be celebrated by supporters.
Especially as Maguire is potentially set to excel at the World Cup with England after putting in a solid display during his nation’s opening game of the tournament against Tunisia.
Aside from his potential lack of partnership with van Dijk he doesn’t have the experience to help the Reds progress towards lifting silverware anytime soon.
Maguire has never played in the Champions League and has only regularly played games in the Premier League across two different seasons.
Even though the 25-year-old clearly has talent, he is just not what the Reds should be looking at in their hunt for a top-class centre back and while fans may be keen on him signing, they will soon regret this.
