Liverpool FC set to sign a teammate of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé to cover a gap in the squad

According to reports, Liverpool is considering signing a center-back who is now Kylian Mbappé’s PSG teammate and may one day succeed Virgil van Dijk.

The defensive unit has been one area of the Liverpool team that has recently gone unnoticed. Jürgen Klopp first seemed to have plenty of center-back options available. On closer inspection, he appears to need some restorative treatment.

Virgil van Dijk and Jol Matip, two of his four top alternatives, are currently approaching retirement age; the latter’s contract is set to expire in 2024.

Joe Gomez, who hasn’t been able to play a regular schedule of games since sustaining back-to-back serious injuries, is still up for debate.

The only remaining long-term choice is Ibrahima Konaté. Of course, Liverpool needs more than just him. Without a doubt, the Frenchman has the ability to play center-back on Liverpool’s right side, but what about the left?

Because there aren’t many players in the squad who can even effectively fill in for Van Dijk, Liverpool’s transfer strategy this summer must include at least one cover alternative.

El Chadaille Bitshiabu, who according to Le10Sport is on Liverpool’s radar, is one of the players who has recently been mentioned as a great alternative.

Bitshiabu, a towering 1.96m (6ft 5in) center back who is already taller than Van Dijk at age 17, is a left-footed ball-player with the quickness and awareness to play steadily in a back four, even in a high defensive line like Klopp’s.

He has 4.09 tackles and interceptions per 90 in Ligue 1 this season, according to FBref.

Being only 17 years old, he has already made an impression on the star-studded Paris Saint-Germain team, joining stars like Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi. This season, he has made 14 first-team appearances for the club.

a remarkable talent. He is currently facing a decision over his future because his contract is set to expire in 2024. Like so many of his fellow PSG academy graduates, including Kingsley Coman, Christopher Nkunku, and Moussa Diaby, Bitshiabu has yet to sign a contract extension and might be enticed to try something new. especially considering the club’s recent acquisition of Milan Kriniar, another well-known center-back.

Although Liverpool wouldn’t be able to give Bitshiabu a regular starting XI spot, the kid would undoubtedly be able to play more minutes than he would at PSG given the lack of a backup option behind Van Dijk.

The kind of player Liverpool needs in that backup position is Bitshiabu. He is a young man with already remarkable physical attributes, thrilling potential, and the football acumen to succeed as a center-back.

Given that he will be entering the final year of his contract this summer, PSG won’t have much to prevent Liverpool from signing him for a reasonable fee, something the club needs to do more frequently rather than letting targets leave and inflate their price tags.

Making a move for Bitshiabu, who will cost less than other center-backs of the same caliber, makes even more sense given that Liverpool will want to direct the majority of the transfer budget into the midfield.

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Although Alisson Becker and David De Gea are vying for the Premier League Golden Glove, the circumstances facing the goalkeepers for Manchester United and Liverpool are very dissimilar.

Liverpool may owe Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea a debt of gratitude if they manage to finish in the top four this season despite all odds.

The Spaniard failed to save Said Benrahma’s poor long-range effort, which slid out of his fingers and into the bottom corner, resulting in the Algerian scoring the game-winning goal for West Ham on Sunday.

After suffering a 1-0 loss at the London Stadium, the Red Devils are still in fourth place but are only one point ahead of Liverpool despite having played one fewer game. Even though De Gea’s current contract is slated to end this summer and United do have a one-year option, his most recent error has raised questions about his future at Old Trafford.

While the 32-year-old shot stopper would need to agree to a significant drop from his present £375k-a-week salary if he wants to continue his 12-year tenure at United, Erik ten Hag has stated that he would like to keep the player. Following his most recent expensive mistake, he is still under criticism, and some are doubting the Red Devils’ decision to keep the goalkeeper if they did.

When serving as a pundit for BT Sport for the game versus West Ham, former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand criticized a former teammate.

It’s a terrible error. He declared that he would bear full responsibility for that. Although his left foot may err slightly, he still makes complete contact with the ball. It’s not like he’s reaching out and touching it.”

Peter Crouch, a former Liverpool striker, and Jermaine Jenas, a midfielder for Newcastle United, would both call De Gea’s most recent expensive mistake “terrible” and “beyond shocking.”

Making errors like that won’t help if he’s in contract discussions, according to Crouch. “Over the years, he’s been a top-notch goalie, but right now it seems like he’s making big mistakes in big, important games. We can’t sugarcoat David de Gea’s stunner. You just cannot defend it; it was a terrible error.

“That’s beyond shocking,” Jenas continued. To allow one in like way when his team is completely in control of the game. He’ll be aware of himself.

De Gea, along with Hugo Lloris, has committed the joint-most errors leading to goals in the Premier League this season with four, contributing to United’s Europa League elimination at the hands of Sevilla last month.

With 15 Premier League clean sheets this season, he is still in the lead for the Golden Glove. The 32-year-old, who won the title in 2017–18, is two clean sheets ahead of his closest competitors with four games left for United. Even if he has control over it, most people would find it difficult to accept given his obstacles.

Alisson Becker of Liverpool, who recently kept clean sheets in the Reds’ 1-0 victories over Fulham and Brentford, is one of the goalkeepers who could grab the award away from De Gea’s clutches. He shares second position on 13 clean sheets with Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale with three games remaining.

Alisson, a two-time Golden Glove winner who originally took home the honor following his maiden campaign in England in 2018–19, is the current owner of the award after sharing it with fellow countryman Ederson the previous campaign.

Liverpool’s confidence in Alisson is unshakable, even when he occasionally makes a mistake. They are fully aware of how fortunate they are to have the best goalie in the world, at least in their opinion.

The Brazilian, who has already kept two straight clean sheets, will be eager to continue this streak as the Reds try to hang on to what little hope they have of making it to the Champions League next season.

While De Gea is now dominating the race for the Golden Glove, their current situations are chalk and cheese when compared to the lack of confidence that is currently around him.

As the Premier League season enters its final month, both players might very well determine whether Liverpool or Manchester United finish in the top four. Alisson’s position at Anfield is impregnable, but the Red Devils could be in the market for a new starting goalkeeper this summer.