Deadline set with Liverpool ‘pushing’ for Premier League centre-back amid Ibrahima Konate exit fears

Liverpool are said to be prepared to push for Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen amid concerns that Ibrahima Konate could leave the club.

The Merseysiders were beaten 3-1 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Sunday, but with their status as champions having already been confirmed, few fans would have been particularly upset by the defeat.

However, Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s announcement that he will leave the club upon the expiry of his contract in the summer has left boss Arne Slot needing to reinforce in defence.

It should be noted that fellow defender Konate will have just a year remaining on his deal in the summer, and the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid have been linked with the Frenchman’s signature.

Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the Reds are pushing to sign Bournemouth defender Huijsen, though he added that Arsenal and Chelsea are also in contention for his services.

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Can Liverpool win the race for Huijsen?

Having won the Premier League title, Liverpool are arguably in a position of strength, especially as key stars Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have committed their immediate futures to the club.

Konate’s potential exit would also guarantee Huijsen a starting spot, something that Arsenal may not be able to provide given William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are almost certain to be at the Emirates next season.

While the Cherries centre-back may be likely to claim a place in Chelsea’s starting XI, there is a chance that the Blues fail to qualify for the Champions League.

However, the Merseysiders arguably have greater priorities given strikers Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota have been linked with exits, while winger Luis Diaz has been inconsistent.

Liverpool have been strongly linked with Huijsen’s Bournemouth teammate Milos Kerkez as a replacement for Andrew Robertson, and they will also need to sign a new right-back given Conor Bradley has suffered a number of injuries.

With the Reds being likely to make a number of additions in the summer window, there could be significant upheaval in the squad, which could stunt Huijsen’s development.

Having said that, it would be surprising if Liverpool were not at least competitive in the title race next season, and they are likely to be in the contention for silverware.

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