Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Liverpool rejected the opportunity to sign Evan Ndicka this summer after having been offered the player.
With no other apparent avenue presenting itself, the former Frankfurt man has opted to join Jose Mourinho at Roma.
“In the second part of this market, I think they will look at the centre-backs market, a left-footed centre-back,” the Guardian journalist informed his followers on The Here We Go Podcast.
“Evan Ndicka was offered to Liverpool but they decided against it and he’s now joining Roma.
“So there were some possibilities, and I think Liverpool will explore the centre-back market.”
The Merseysiders are understood to be in the market for a left-footed centre-back – criteria the 23-year-old would have met.
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It’s news that may come as something of a surprise to fans in light of the fact the player was available on a free transfer and would have helped free up funds for our remaining targets.
With the search for a second midfielder taking up much of the recruitment team’s available attention (not to mention much of the budget), however, it’s unlikely we’ll see a new centre-half at the AXA training centre until all business in that department is completed.
Matters could, of course, quickly evolve were a key target under threat of being snapped up by a rival, as appears to be the case with linked Wolfsburg star Micky van de Ven as Spurs weigh up a move for the Dutchman or Edmond Tapsoba.
A first-choice centre-back won’t be the priority this window, though we’d still like to see someone with a particularly high ceiling brought in to either address concerns over replacing Virgil van Dijk in the long-term or providing cover for Ibrahima Koante’s specialist role as the right-sided centre-half (in the context of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s hybrid role).