Liverpool ready sensational move for generational centre-back

Liverpool could now do something they have not done since 1970.

At this moment in time Richard Hughes and his scouting team will be desperately scouring the world for emerging young talent in centre-back positions.

Liverpool need a refresh at the back. They need an injection of youth in order to revitalise an area of the pitch they have neglected in recent windows.

Apart from the signing of Giovanni Leoni, Liverpool have not signed a senior centre-back since Ibrahima Konate over four years ago.

That neglect while Joel Matip has hung up his boots and Joe Gomez continues to struggle with injuries has been to the detriment of this team. Especially after selling Jarell Quansah in the summer window.

Now Liverpool need to rebuild what they have and in order to do that they could be looking at an option in South Wales.

The last time Liverpool purchased a player from Cardiff City was back in 1970. Liverpool signed John Toshack for a club record fee at the time, much to Cardiff's reluctance to let him go.

Toshack would go immediately into Bill Shankly's starting line-up and he became a hugely successful player at Anfield, winning multiple league titles and European trophies as well as an FA Cup.

He's remembered as a club legend having scored 96 goals for Liverpool. Undoubtedly, he is one of the best Welsh players to ever play for the club alongside the likes of Ian Rush and Craig Bellamy.

Now over 50 years later, Liverpool could be spending big money to sign Cardiff's latest talent.

There have been reports recently that Liverpool are lining up a move for Dylan Lawlor alongside the Premier League's biggest clubs.

Only 19-years-old, Lawlor is already a full fledged Wales international footballer and he's a regular starter for Cardiff in League One.

Unlike Toshack, he's a centre-back, and very much a proper modern centre-back at that.

Lawlor's best strength is his ability on the ball. He has averaged the second most passes out of centre-backs in League one this season (62.8 per 90 minutes).

Among centre-backs who average at least 20 forward passes per 90 minutes, Lawlor has the best success rate (79.62%) so he's very effective at progressing the ball and involving himself in the build-up.

At such a young age his reading of the game is excellent. He's still raw. Sometimes he can over-commit to challenges but his numbers are decent considering he is one of the youngest centre-backs in the league.

He wins over 67% of his defensive duels and averages 7.34 PAdj interceptions.

His aerial duel success rate can improve at just 52% but again this is to be expected from a centre-back who is still a teenager.

In terms of talent, Lawlor is one of Cardiff's best youth products in many years. He's a generational prospect not just at club level but for country as well.

After over 50 years, it would be a sensational move for Liverpool to try to sign a player from Cardiff again. Lawlor is definitely worth the hype.

He will be a solid Premier League centre-back for many years to come.

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