Liverpool ready to agree €40m transfer to sign centre-back

Richard Hughes is already plotting a €40m move for the next window as per a new report.

The Liverpool sporting director did a lot of business in the summer transfer period, however ultimately he will have been disappointed to miss out on the signing of Marc Guehi.

This has cost the Reds dearly. Giovanni Leoni's injury means Arne Slot has just three senior centre-back options at his disposal.

Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez, who are both injury prone. And a 34-year-old Virgil van Dijk, who is not getting any younger and playing so many games will take a toll on his body.

So naturally, things do need to change in the January window. Liverpool cannot seriously regard Wataru Endo or Rhys Williams as potential back-up options on the centre-back role.

The former isn't a centre-back by trade and the latter got relegated in League Two last season.

A lot of conversation around who Liverpool bring in has centred around Guehi. But a move for him in January will come too soon.

It doesn't make sense for the player nor the Reds to move in the winter window. For the player he misses out on a big sign on fee and Liverpool will have to pay a transfer fee for a player they could just sign on a free in a few months time.

The only party it benefits is Crystal Palace, who will at least get some compensation for their star player.

But Liverpool won't entertain such offers. Instead they will look to sign someone else and a report in Portugal has suggested that this could be Joel Ordonez.

According to Bolavip, Liverpool want the Club Brugge defender, who has showcased that he is a special talent in the Champions League over the last calendar year.

Only 21-years-old, the report claims that Liverpool would be willing to pay in excess of €40m to get the deal over the line for the Ecuadorean defender.

Ordonez is a relatively quick player who reads the game well and he is comfortable in possession. That's an area where Liverpool have struggled and where bringing in Ordonez could help Slot's build-up play.

Undoubtedly, spending €40m on a player who hasn't played in Europe's top five leagues is a lot of money. But Ordonez's performances in the Champions League have been so eye-catching it would be worth taking a risk on him.

One thing is certain is that Liverpool are exploring their options in the centre-back department. A move in the January window to add more depth is very likely to happen at this stage.

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