Liverpool plot hijack for “magnificent” £17m defender

How sad that Liverpool’s smart business sense in the transfer market will likely prevent Arne Slot’s side from becoming engaged in the frenzied crowd come August, when panic stations are manned ahead of the impending closure date.

Ah well. There are worse problems for a side to have. Liverpool, having won the Premier League with relative ease last season, have already completed a series of signings to plug gaps ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, where a title must be defended and where expectations will be heightened across tournamental fronts, where the Reds perhaps fell flat.

Still, that shiny league title softened the blow of losing the Carabao Cup final, did it not? However, we can’t deny that Liverpool suffered a dip around spring, a rough patch which limited the scope of Slot’s extraordinary success.

More quality was needed, and that’s why Richard Hughes has overseen such an imperious start to the summer market, with the sporting director now turning his head toward central defence.

Why Liverpool want a centre-back

Earlier in June, Liverpool agreed to sell Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen for £30m plus add-ons. A buyback clause has been written into the contract.

The move will not be finalised until the defender completes his duties with England at the U21 European Championship, but he won’t be a Liverpool player next season.

With a question mark also hanging over Ibrahima Konate, Liverpool have set their sights on Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, who is anticipated to leave Selhurst Park this summer. Anfield has emerged as the leading suitor in the race.

We all know of Real Madrid’s expertise in warping Spanish media, but the fact remains that Konate has been left ‘disappointed’ after rejecting Liverpool’s latest contract offer, and is indeed heading into the final year of his £70k-per-week contract.

However, if Liverpool fail to get a deal for Guehi over the line, a fresh face will still be needed to strengthen the rearguard.

Liverpool register interest in Guehi alternative

According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have entered the race for Spanish centre-back Cristhian Mosquera, who plays for Valencia in La Liga.

Though the Reds will slow the pace after their breakneck start to the window, Hughes will remain attentive to opportunities and is keeping a close eye on the 21-year-old as Arsenal begin to accelerate their own interest.

Indeed, The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealed that the Gunners are locked in talks for the rising star, with a €20m (£17m) being agreed.

If Liverpool want to complete a hijack, they will need to move fast.

Why Liverpool want Cristhian Mosquera

Guehi would bring a certain completeness to Liverpool, and he’s proven in the Premier League besides, but he’d cost quite a fee at £50m.

If a breakthrough is found vis-à-vis Konate, would it make sense to launch such a bid, especially when Guehi already harbours certain reservations about playing time?

He’s an excellent player, but Mosquera is showing significant potential and could be a worthwhile project for Slot and his coaching team over the next few years, especially as he’s already shown a certain precocity in chalking up 90 senior appearances for Valencia, having turned 21 today.

Across the 2024/25 campaign, the Spaniard, born and reared in Alicante to Colombian parents, Mosquera actually started 37 of Valencia’s league fixtures, with his one absence coming when his side faced Barcelona at Camp Nou. They lost 7-1.

Coincidence? Likely not. The hulking defender’s natural ease in high-pressure situations would have been perfect for that match, and when looking at how his metrics compare to Guehi’s over the players’ respective league seasons, you begin to see exactly why he’s so coveted.

Just a reminder that Mosquera is only 21. You really can see why Arsenal are so interested in bringing him over to the Emirates. However, Mosquera’s blend of steely tackling and crisp passing play, those fundamental defensive virtues, could be developed into something world-class at Anfield.

Slot promotes a ball-playing game, and he expects his centre-halves to contribute, picking out those in space upfield to spark a devastating transition.

And if that weren’t enough, Mosquera also ranked among the top 18% of central defenders in La Liga last term for progressive carries and the top 7% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref, emphasising a mobility to rival Guehi’s and indeed an athleticism which allows him to roam about, hoovering up danger and recycling it into something positive.

This is an interesting element for any defender to equip to their toolkit, but when you are so naturally talented in winning the ball back, as Mosquera is, a “truly magnificent centre-back” is created, as has been noted by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Moreover, Mosquera’s success in the air might not be great, but it will improve. Guehi, too, finds his stronger challenges come on the ground, and so it’s curious indeed that the La Liga star is already performing to a higher standard in that regard, in fact superior to all his positional peers across Spain’s top flight as well.

No doubt, Palace have the more refined man. However, given Liverpool already boast two of the finest defenders on the globe in Konate and skipper Virgil van Dijk, does it not make sense to sign the developing star, who could learn from the superstars already under Slot’s wing ahead of a more prominent role in the coming years?

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