2) Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao)
One of the most sought after young defenders on the planet. The 21-year-old comes with a reputation that is getting better and better with each passing week. He’s already racked up 83 league appearances for his club side and was part of the team that beat Barcelona 4-0 on Friday in the Spanish Super Cup, keeping the likes of Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi firmly at bay. He’s also capable of playing left-back, where we’re arguably a little short on options, with only Joe Gomez, Alberto Moreno and Jose Enrique currently for Brendan Rodgers to pick from.
1) Nicolas Otamendi (Valencia)
The Argentine has been widely linked to Manchester United in this window but, for now, he remains up for grabs (via Daily Star) – no doubt the Reds would love to get one over on our rivals by taking this one right off their toes. The 25-time international played 35 times in La Liga last season, scoring six goals, an excellent return for a defender. He’s previously won three league titles in Portugal with Porto, as well as the Europa League in 2011, and at 27 he should be at the peak of his powers. He’s excellent in the air and always puts his body on the line.
