OPINION
Liverpool should attempt to ensure they seal a move for Real Sociedad centre-back Diego Llorente this summer, with the Reds in need of another option at the centre of defence next term.
According to Spanish outlet AS, Liverpool have made a £22million offer for Llorente to La Liga side Real Sociedad, with the club expecting to receive interest in the defender this summer after his impressive season in the Spanish top-flight.
Liverpool will be needing to sign another centre half this summer, with both Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip struggling to produce consistent displays for Jurgen Klopp’s side during their time at Anfield, and Joe Gomez suffering injury problems in the second half of the season this term.
Despite being part of a defence that conceded just 22 goals this season in the Premier League, the lowest in the entire division, Virgil van Dijk will be hoping Klopp manages to find a more consistent centre-half partner for him to develop an understanding and relationship with next term.
Llorente could be a very good option to be that player, or to at least challenge Gomez for the other position alongside Van Dijk at the heart of Liverpool’s defence, after the Spaniard enjoyed an excellent campaign for Real Sociedad making 20 appearances in the league as the club finished in ninth place.
The Spanish defender at 6ft 1ins offers the sort of physical presence needed to be defender in the English top flight, and that is demonstrated by him winning 2.8 aerial duels, as well as 1.2 tackles and 3.8 clearances per match [whoscored.com] in La Liga this season.
However, it is not just Llorente’s physical presence that is impressive, the 25-year-old also has the ability to be calm in possession and help to build attacks from the back, with the defender averaging 52.3 passes per game with an 84.8% accuracy [whoscored.com], suggesting that he would be an ideal defender in Klopp’s system.
Although Liverpool’s defence performed well throughout the season, that was largely down to the presence of Van Dijk, and the Reds did show signs of defensive frailties at times especially in their away matches in the Champions League group stages at the beginning of the campaign.
That suggests Klopp could benefit from having one more reliable option to call upon at the heart of his defence, and it would give him a nice problem to have to be selecting between two quality players like Gomez and Llorente next term.
