Richard Hughes to take advantage of catastrophic £34m Roberto De Zerbi transfer error

Big centre-back changes are coming to Liverpool.

The Reds have lost Ibrahima Konate on a free transfer with the 27-year-old Frenchman set to join Real Madrid. Given Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are only under contract for one more season it is necessary for Richard Hughes to set up for the future.

The process began last summer with the acquisition of Giovanni Leoni from Parma and more additions have since been made. Mor Talla Ndiaye arrived in January while Jeremy Jacquet and Ifeanyi Ndukwe will both report for preseason.

In an ideal world one more defender would arrive to cover any unforeseen emergencies as well as provide options for when Van Dijk and Gomez leave.

Now Football Insider is claiming that new Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola may be given the opportunity to pounce on a grave transfer error about to be committed by Tottenham.

Tottenham don't want Vuskovic

With Marcos Senesi and potentially Jan Paul van Hecke set to arrive in the offseason the new Spurs head coach Roberto De Zerbi is going to offload Luka Vuskovic.

And that opens the door for Liverpool to complete a deal for the highly-rated Croatian international.

“Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi looks to be forcing Luka Vuskovic out of the club this summer,” the report reads.

“De Zerbi could be making a costly mistake allowing Vuskovic to leave Spurs in favour of signing new defenders.

“Liverpool were plotting a move to sign Vuskovic this summer. Spurs should demand big money to agree to that deal as they would be strengthening a Premier League rival, and Liverpool are in need of a new centre-back.”

Liverpool's extensive links with Vuskovic

Vuskovic, 19, reached an agreement to join Tottenham in 2025. The former Hajduk Split prodigy spent the 2025/26 season out on loan in the Bundesliga with Hamburger SV - impressing all-comers with his form.

Vuskovic has been a name in the frame for an Anfield arrival for a few months now - although it was initially assumed that Spurs would hang onto him.

He is under contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until 2030 and it has previously been suggested that it would cost around £34m to get him out. With De Zerbi’s stance on Vuskovic now being revealed a deal could well be in sight.

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