This summer, Levi Colwill has been near the top of Liverpool’s transfer shortlist, with the Chelsea defender appearing underappreciated at Stamford Bridge. Jürgen Klopp’s pursuit of him, though, came to a stop this week when the English center-back opted to sign a new contract with the Blues.
Liverpool will now be forced to look for alternative options in the market, as the Reds desperately need a left-footed defender. Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, and Ibrahima Konaté are all right-footed, putting Klopp at a disadvantage in comparison to his English counterparts.
Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola has Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Aké, while Mikel Arteta has Gabriel Magalhes and Jakub Kiwior at Arsenal. Erik ten Hag has Lisandro Martnez at Manchester United after signing him from Ajax last year, Sven Botman is at Newcastle United, and Aston Villa recently signed Pau Torres from Villarreal.
There are just a few lefties on the market, with Joko Gvardiol possibly serving as the gold standard. The Croatian international is only 21 years old, but he’s already mature for his age, displaying excellent defensive talents while also providing plenty of value when in possession of the ball.
Gvardiol is a lifelong Liverpool supporter. “Since I was a little boy, my dad and I watched Liverpool matches, and I grew up with only them,” he told Croatian news outlet 24Sata. “When I took football more seriously, I started following them, and I definitely want the Premier League and Liverpool.”
He would be a fantastic addition to Anfield, but his price tag is likely to be prohibitive. RB Leipzig recognizes his worth, and as a result, the Bundesliga team hopes to receive a record-breaking fee to sell him. Manchester City is said to be interested in him, which is why the Germans are seeking for replacements.
RB Leipzig is rumored to be interested in Castello Lukeba (French Football News). The Frenchman is currently under contract with Lyon and is only 20 years old. He has a lot of promise, and it’s worth noting that he’s also left-footed, which means he might be a suitable replacement for Gvardiol if the Croat is moved to Manchester City in the coming weeks or months.
