Jonny Evans and Kalidou Koulibaly lead alternatives as Liverpool are set to miss out on Virgil van Dijk

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  • Liverpool’s summer long pursuit of Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk could, eventually, prove futile with Saints reluctant to sell their star man.

    It means boss Jurgen Klopp could be forced to look elsewhere to address his side’s glaring weakness but the question is, which centre-backs are potentially viable solutions as the transfer window winds down.

    We look at five possible acquisitions the Reds could make to solve their back problems.

    JONNY EVANS

    CLUB: West Brom

    AGE: 29

    VALUE: £30-35m

    SUITABILITY: 7/10 

    Set aside his loyalty to Manchester United and Evans is exactly the sort of defender Liverpool require.

    A natural leader, the Northern Irishman is an aggressive ball winner, making 66 interceptions last term (eighth highest in the league for a centre-back) and blocking 10 crosses (third highest in the league for a centre-back).

    He is the best of a resolute West Brom defence but the only drawback is that he’s predominantly right-footed when ideally you’d prefer a left-footed centre-half to replace the jittery Dejan Lovren.

    Still, he’s versatile as he can operate as a full-back and has vastly improved since leaving United – another player to have slipped through the crack at Old Trafford.

    Man City are strong contenders to sign him and have already had an £18million bid rejected with £35million said to be the fee West Brom will sell at.

    If Liverpool are looking for alternatives to Van Dijk, Evans might just be the man.

    Jonny Evans

    KALIDOU KOULIBALY

    CLUB: Napoli

    AGE: 26

    VALUE : £50-55m

    SUITABILITY: 8/10

    A genuine leader is Liverpool’s obvious defensive deficiency but Napoli’s giant defender offers that and more.

    Having initially struggled to adapt to Serie A football, the Senegal international has emerged as one of the world’s premier centre-backs.

    His athleticism is the cornerstone of his talent as at 6″5′ he towers above most strikers, winning 61 headers last term and making 65 clearances.

    Physically imposing, adapting to English football would be a seamless transition and he offers Liverpool something they don’t already possess.

    From a technical standpoint, he’s improved exponentially as well, becoming just as adept with the ball at his feet as he is in the air – a passing percentage of 89 percent last season is a testament to that.

    A marriage of poise and power, Koulibaly has become a wanted man across Europe with Chelsea routinely linked with a move, driving his value north of the £50million barrier.

    Indeed, it could take a world-record fee for a defender to prize him away from notoriously tough negotiators Napoli as his contract runs until 2021.

    Kalidou Koulibaly

    Kalidou Koulibaly

    KOSTAS MANOLAS

    CLUB: Roma

    AGE: 26

    VALUE: £35m

    SUITABILITY: 6/10

    A quintessential tough and tidy centre-half, Manolas’s scouting reports highlight a resilient but intelligent defender who is destined for a move to the Premier League.

    Another to have been linked with Chelsea, the Greece international is contracted with Roma until 2019 but is unlikely to sign a new deal, meaning the club could be willing to listen to offers in the region of £40million.

    He thrives on one-on-one situations but that strength is also a weakness as he has a tendency to be a little rash and is prone to yellow cards, picking up seven Serie A bookings last season.

    He’s very right-footed as well which again isn’t ideal for a partner to Joel Matip as Liverpool push their full-backs so high up the pitch meaning their centre-backs often have to move out and cover the channels.

    Regardless, there aren’t too many defenders in the mould of Manolas and while he’s not in the world-class bracket just yet, his work ethic and assurance point to a player who will be among the elite in the near future.

    Kostas Manolas

    Kostas Manolas

    JONATHAN TAH

    CLUB: Bayer Leverkusen

    AGE: 21

    VALUE: £30m

    SUITABILITY: 6/10

    Given his penchant for signing from Germany, Klopp may turn to the Bundesliga once more and one of the top targets could come in the form of Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah.

    At just 21 he fits the Liverpool model of signing potential rather than immediate elite-level talents but his fledgling status shouldn’t deter the Reds.

    Indeed, Tah represents the next generation of centre-backs in that he isn’t just a physical specimen, but also a technical standout.

    He’s agile but aggressive and on the ball he’s forward-thinking defender who is able to set-off quick transitions out of the back.

    However, it is that forward approach which led to five defensive errors in the league last season – the joint highest in the Bundesliga.

    Again, he’s right footed which would require either Matip to move into left-sided slot if he were to replace Lovren, although it’s questionable whether he is quite ready to be thrust into the demands of making such a step up.

    Tah, though, is an outstanding defensive prospect and considering he was bought from Hamburg for just £8.5million two years ago, he’s more than justified that outlay with Leverkusen potentially netting a huge profit if Liverpool were to make a bid.

    Jonathan Tah

    Jonathan Tah

    ANDREAS CHRISTENSEN

    CLUB: Chelsea

    AGE: 21

    VALUE: £30m

    SUITABILITY: 7/10

    Chelsea have made a business out of signing talented young prospects and perpetually loaning them out in a vicious cycle which has restricted the development of some promising stars.

    Christensen could join the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne in creating a sense of regret of not having been utitlised more because in the years to come he could emerge as one of the world’s finest centre-backs.

    Yes, he is that good. The Denmark international was quite superb in his two-year loan spell with Borussia Monchengladbach and has been brought back to Stamford Bridge with the intention of giving him more first-team opportunities.

    Those chances, though, will be fleeting and it’s meant the likes of Liverpool and Southampton have been linked with a move.

    He’s a graceful player, one who has an outstanding reading of the game to stop counter-attacks and a quality passing ability – both long and short – to innate them as well.

    The main drawback is that physically he’s not as developed as some of the other players on this list and of course he’s inexperienced at playing at the top level, but he’s a gem of a centre-back.

    With the promise of more regular first-team football, Liverpool may just be able to snag another Chelsea starlet having already poached striker Dominic Solanke.

    Andreas Christensen

    Andreas Christensen

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