7 months ago
109 If the last few days have shown us anything, it’s that Liverpool have a lot of work to do this summer.
FSG have already got the ball rolling by hiring Michael Edwards as their CEO of football, who in turn will bring Richard Hughes to Liverpool as sporting director.
However, Liverpool will still need to bring in a new manager to replace Jurgen Klopp when he departs Anfield at the end of the season.
And then you’ve got a need of refreshing and revamping a Reds squad that is set to lose a couple of key players at the end of the season.
Joel Matip will need replacing, as will Thiago Alcantara and Adrian. In addition, the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold are out of contract in 2025.
Their futures will likely be up for discussion, and it remains to be seen whether they’ll agree new contracts at Liverpool.
That said, with Van Dijk turning 33 this summer, the Reds will need to think about a long-term successor.
And one player Liverpool are currently being linked with could well be a candidate to take over from Van Dijk long term.
The player in question is Eintracht Frankfurt and Ecuador defender Willian Pacho.
Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg recently claimed that Liverpool and Arsenal have both made enquiries to sign Pacho.
Fabrizio Romano then delivered a follow-up update in which he played down interest from both sides, but still seemingly keeping a door open on a potential move.
“It’s true that Pacho has a price tag of around €50-60million and it looks like an open race for his signature this summer,” he told CaughtOffside.
“I’m told nothing is at concrete or advanced stages with English clubs.”
What could Liverpool fans expect from Willian Pacho?
That’s not too surprising, as the season is at the business end and most players who are regularly featuring for their clubs won’t want any distractions.
However, at the end of the season, we may well see speculation intensify, and Pacho would certainly be a good shout for Liverpool.
The 22-year-old left-footer has enjoyed a superb maiden season at Frankfurt after joining from Royal Antwerp in 2023. He has made 39 appearances for his new club.
Here’s what the Bundesliga website has said about Pacho: “A left-sided central defender with superb spatial awareness, inch-perfect passing skills and a tackling game that’s been honed to perfection, Pacho is proving to be a tailor-made replacement for Frankfurt predecessor Evan Ndicka, now of Roma.
“He also has the technical nous to be able to play out from the back, and the pace to stay touch-tight to speedy opposition players.”
Meanwhile, Frankfurt boss Dino Toppmoller has said: “He’s doing a great job, and is getting better all the time. He’s really reliable and has world-class potential.”
And with business reportedly starting at £43million, Liverpool may not even have to fork out an extortionate amount for Pacho’s services. Let’s see how things develop in the coming months.
The post Liverpool could sign Van Dijk successor this summer in 'really reliable' £43m gem with 'world-class potential' - opinion appeared first on TBR Football.
