{"id":395346,"date":"2026-01-28T17:21:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T17:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/395346\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T17:21:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T17:21:12","slug":"liverpool-could-move-to-sign-dominant-defender-after-insane-situation-at-his-current-club","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/395346\/","title":{"rendered":"Liverpool could move to sign &#8216;dominant&#8217; defender after \u2018insane\u2019 situation at his current club"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Liverpool don\u2019t need to sign a centre-back \u2014 they need multiple, and one could be gettable after a collapse in negotiations at his current club. <\/p>\n<p>The situation at the back is untenable. <\/p>\n<p>Liverpool have just one recognised centre-back available to take on Qarabag, with Giovanni Leoni, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rousingthekop.com\/2026\/01\/27\/two-liverpool-players-now-absent-from-training-ahead-of-qarabag-game\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate ruled out<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>          Who starts alongside Van Dijk against Qarabag? <\/p>\n<p class=\"grv-talking-point__subtitle\">Endo? Gravenberch? One of the youngsters? \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n<p>Liverpool\u2019s centre-back issues worsen \ud83d\ude2c<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RTK-14-2-819x1024.png\" alt=\"Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool\" class=\"wp-image-281378\" \/>Photo by Catherine Ivill \u2013 AMA\/Getty Images     <\/p>\n<p> \ud83d\udc47 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say <\/p>\n<p>  <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/mail.png\" alt=\"mail icon\"\/>Join our newsletter for news &amp; smart analysis.  <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s just the latest sign that the squad is in need of bolstering, especially at the back. <\/p>\n<p>With that in mind, Liverpool\u2019s attention will surely be grabbed by what Florian Plettenberg just said about one of Europe\u2019s top centre-backs. <\/p>\n<p>Florian Plettenberg says \u2018insane\u2019 Dayot Upamecano situation opens door for Liverpool<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rousingthekop.com\/tag\/dayot-upamecano\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Dayot Upamecano<\/a> has been on Liverpool\u2019s radar for at least five years. <\/p>\n<p>The Bayern Munich star is one of Europe\u2019s most physically imposing defenders and a player who is always mooted for a big-money transfer, wherever he is. Well, he\u2019ll be available for free this summer if things carry on like this. <\/p>\n<p>Liverpool\u2019s interest was dealt a blow earlier this month when reports claimed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rousingthekop.com\/2026\/01\/07\/final-agreement-expected-soon-as-liverpool-transfer-target-to-pen-fresh-contract-with-another-club\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Upamecano was close to agreement with Bayern<\/a> over a new deal. But now, the prospect of the Frenchman moving has gathered steam again. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2235201337-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Dayot Upamecano lines up for France ahead of their FIFA World Cup qualifier against Iceland in Paris.\" class=\"wp-image-264112\" \/>Photo by Catherine Steenkeste\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>Florian Plettenberg sounded almost exasperated at the stall in contract talks when speaking to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lEzYWUpyZkM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Sky Sports Germany<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>He remarked: \u201cI almost don\u2019t even want to talk about it anymore. Honestly, the topic annoys me. If Bayern blow up the deal after the deadline day and he still hasn\u2019t agreed by then, he has no reason to be surprised. I think it\u2019s outrageous. To be completely honest, the numbers on the table are insane. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd you know my opinion \u2013 I consider him a very good central defender, but I wouldn\u2019t rank him among the world\u2019s best because, for me, he\u2019s simply not consistently performing at the top level. That\u2019s just my opinion. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s why the numbers Bayern are reportedly willing to pay \u2013 including the release clause that would likely kick in from summer 2027 \u2013 already seem crazy to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Plettenberg isn\u2019t convinced by Upamecano\u2019s quality, but he is in the minority in that regard. <\/p>\n<p>Kylian Mbappe told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beinsports.com\/en-us\/soccer\/articles\/kylian-mbapp%C3%A9-s-hint-to-upamecano-he-s-at-a-great-club-but-there-are-better-ones-2025-11-12?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">BEIN Sports<\/a> that the Bayern star is \u2018one of the best in the world\u2019 and a \u2018dominant\u2019 force to be reckoned with. <\/p>\n<p>As for why Upamecano is yet to agree to an extension, Plettenberg thinks he could be holding out for an approach from another top European club, mentioning Liverpool by name. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-1500041969-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano for France\" class=\"wp-image-281469\" \/>Photo by Jean Catuffe\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p>He continues: \u201cWhy he\u2019s taking so long, I can\u2019t answer. Possibly the same model as Schlotterbeck, where everyone is gambling, waiting to see what happens, when the first domino falls \u2013 maybe with Liverpool, maybe at Real Madrid. Honestly, I can\u2019t explain it any other way.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The France international does struggle with consistency sometimes, but he is a top, top defender who would go some way towards reestablishing the Reds as a defensively solid outfit. <\/p>\n<p>Ibrahima Konate might not be pleased by Dayot Upamecano to Liverpool <\/p>\n<p>Liverpool have a similar situation with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rousingthekop.com\/tag\/ibrahima-konate\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ibrahima Konate<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rousingthekop.com\/2026\/01\/19\/how-richard-hughes-has-reacted-to-ibrahima-konates-liverpool-contract-debacle\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Konate is yet to extend his Liverpool contract<\/a>, and it could be for the same reasons. <\/p>\n<p> How do you think Liverpool should handle the contract situations of Konate, Van Dijk, and Gomez? <\/p>\n<p>Van Dijk (2027), Gomez (2027) and Konate (2026) are all out of contract soon!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/RTK-32-819x1024.png\" alt=\"Virgil van Dijk applauds supporters after Liverpool's Premier League match against Sunderland at Anfield.\" class=\"wp-image-279398\" \/>Credit: Liverpool FC\/Getty Images     <\/p>\n<p> \ud83d\udc47 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say <\/p>\n<p>The potential arrival might not sit too well with Konate, who has been deprived of a starring role under Didier Deschamps because of Upamecano. <\/p>\n<p>If <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rousingthekop.com\/club\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Liverpool<\/a> can convince Bayern\u2019s star centre-back to sign for free next summer, it\u2019s hard to see how the two coexist. Not only are they similar profiles, but they are also both looking for wages to rival the highest-paid defenders in Europe. <\/p>\n<p>It might be a case of one or the other. <\/p>\n<p>  Join Our Newsletter <\/p>\n<p>Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Liverpool don\u2019t need to sign a centre-back \u2014 they need multiple, and one could be gettable after a&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":395347,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[101498,218,2232,101,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-395346","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-football","8":"tag-dayot-upamecano","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-ibrahima-konate","11":"tag-sports","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom","14":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/395346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=395346"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/395346\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/395347"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=395346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=395346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=395346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}