Liverpool turn attention to Caglar Soyuncu and Ben White after suffering Ibrahima Konate transfer blow - Reports
According to The Mirror, Liverpool have turned their attention to signing Leicester City defender Caglar Soyuncu and Brighton's Ben White after RB Leipzig revealed that Ibrahima Konate will not be moving to Anfield in the summer.
After enduring a horrid season, where they have floundered in their title defense, Liverpool are set to dive into the transfer market in the summer to bolster their squad.
Their defense, in particular, is in dire need of strengthening after the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez suffered significant injuries this season.
Liverpool already brought in a few defensive reinforcements, signing Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies back in January. However, reports claimed that the Merseyside were close to agreeing on a summer move for RB Leipzig star defender Ibrahima Konate.
Leipzig have squashed these rumours, claiming the defender will remain in the Bundesliga next season. Leipzig's sporting director Marcus Krosche said:
"I think that this is not an option. He has a long contract with us and he knows what we mean to him and what he means to us. He was unlucky last year as he had a long-term injury, but this year, he is developing well and he is an extremely important player that has a lot of potential."
"We want to help him to develop further, and we play in Europe and have a very good team, so I don't see a reason for him to leave us," explained Krosche.
Liverpool shift focus to signing Premier League defenders
Liverpool are now said to be desperate to work out a deal for Leicester City defender Caglar Soyuncu and Brighton’s Ben White. Both defenders have enjoyed an impressive season in the Premier League so far and have played key roles for their respective clubs.
Ben White was linked with a move to Anfield last summer. However, the transfer failed to materialize as Brighton opted to keep hold of the defender, who impressed while on loan with Leeds United.
Soyuncu, on the other hand, has cemented himself as one of the elite defenders in the Premier League since arriving at Brighton last season.
A deal for either defender might just be the answer to Liverpool’s defensive issues and this could be the perfect first step in their rebuilding process.