Liverpool Eyes Six January Signings as Giovanni Leoni Injury Forces Transfer Rethink

Liverpool entered the season already short on central defenders, but their backline worries have been amplified by Giovanni Leoni's recent injury setback.

The 18-year-old, who joined from Parma for £26 million ($34.7 million) during the summer transfer window, sustained what appears to be an ACL injury during Liverpool's Carabao Cup third round triumph against Southampton, potentially sidelining him for most of the 2025–26 season.

This represents a significant obstacle in the young talent's progression and a considerable blow for Liverpool, who now have only three senior central defenders available. Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté and Joe Gomez comprise the remaining options, though players like Andy Robertson, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch could serve as makeshift alternatives.

Arne Slot will need defensive additions during the January transfer window if Liverpool hope to challenge for the Premier League, Champions League and cup competitions.

Here are six central defenders Liverpool might pursue in the winter market.

Marc Guéhi

The clear January target is Marc Guéhi. Liverpool came tantalizingly close to securing the Crystal Palace captain during the final days of the summer window, with Guéhi even undergoing a medical with the Reds and recording a goodbye social media message for the Eagles.

Palace's failure to find a suitable replacement led them to abandon the transfer, but Liverpool will probably revisit their interest in the England international come January following Leoni's extended absence. With Guéhi's contract expiring next summer, they should be able to negotiate a reduced fee with the Eagles.

Naturally, other clubs might pursue Guéhi in January and he could potentially agree a pre-contract with foreign teams, but Liverpool appears his most probable destination.

Ronald Araújo

Leoni's injury isn't Liverpool's sole centre back worry. Konaté, similar to Guéhi, has his contract running out next summer, and speculation linking him with Real Madrid continues to persist.

The Reds must prepare for a potential future without the 26-year-old, who would be extremely challenging to replace should he leave Anfield. One candidate that has been cautiously mentioned as his replacement is Barcelona's Ronald Araújo, whose long-term prospects in Catalonia remain uncertain.

Araújo penned a new deal with Barça in January but that extension was arranged merely to safeguard the defender's market value, with a £54 million release clause included in his terms. While he remains content in Barcelona, The Athletic have indicated that he would be attracted to join a "top Premier League side."

Liverpool are currently England's finest and Araújo would face a difficult choice if the Premier League leaders' pursuit became more serious. The 26-year-old is certainly an elite performer and would be capable of making an instant impact on Merseyside.

Gonçalo Inácio

Hardly any transfer windows have gone by in recent years without Gonçalo Inácio's name being connected with Liverpool. The Sporting CP defender has consistently been among Europe's most talented defenders, yet has still to make the leap to one of the continent's elite clubs.

The 24-year-old has been vital to Sporting's success and played a key role in the Ruben Amorim team that reestablished the Lisbon club as Portugal's premier side. Outstanding performances domestically have also earned him 17 appearances for the Portuguese national squad.

The left-footed defender lacks pace, which may have deterred potential buyers, but he possesses notable physicality and excellent game intelligence. The towering centre back also poses a significant scoring threat, netting four or more goals for Sporting in each of his previous four complete seasons.

It seems certain that Inácio will make his major move soon and Liverpool would be foolish not to evaluate him this winter.

Joel Ordóñez

When Liverpool were assessing young central defensive prospects this summer, Joel Ordóñez's name surfaced before Leoni's signing. The 21-year-old has impressed with Club Brugge over the last three campaigns, originally recruited from Ecuador development hub Independiente del Valle—the academy responsible for producing Moisés Caicedo, Piero Hincapié, Willian Pacho and others recently.

Ordóñez has adapted to European football remarkably and become a fixture for Club Brugge. He was essential to their Champions League round of 16 campaign last season and has now accumulated 88 appearances for the Belgian side.

The 6'2 Ecuador international possesses excellent distribution skills and excels in defensive duties, but whether he's prepared to step up to Liverpool's level remains questionable.

Murillo

Murillo would represent an ideal signing for Liverpool. The 23-year-old joined Nottingham Forest in 2023 with an outstanding reputation from his stint with Corinthians in Brazil, and he's quickly fulfilled his enormous promise. He featured 36 times for Forest in his first season and matched that with 39 appearances last campaign, developing an excellent partnership with Nikola Milenković.

Murillo was crucial to Forest's European qualification last term, with the team's defensive solidity key to a seventh-place Premier League finish. Alongside his more aerially dominant partner, the Brazil international impressed with his anticipation, physicality and distribution skills.

The defender has already drawn interest from Chelsea but his reported £70 million valuation might deter potential suitors. It could prove a worthwhile investment, though, particularly given his established Premier League credentials and room for further development.

Castello Lukeba

Konaté's successor might well be his fellow countryman Castello Lukeba. The 22-year-old gained recognition with Lyon but transferred to RB Leipzig in 2023, where he's elevated his performance. The strong and quick defender has become a cornerstone of the German club's defense, displaying remarkable consistency during a challenging period for the Saxon team.

Lukeba's reported £78 million release clause reflects his outstanding potential, though Leipzig would allegedly permit his departure for less. He demonstrates impressive tactical awareness despite his youth and is celebrated for his superb passing ability, with his left-footedness also being a significant asset for the Reds.

Liverpool have been connected previously, along with clubs like Manchester United and Bayern Munich, but Leoni's injury and doubts over Konaté might compel them to pursue their interest this winter. They could fare much worse than the young France international.