Virgil van Dijk is a generational defender and one of Liverpool’s greatest players in modern history.
However, he has been exposed as a mediocre this season, with injuries to Liverpool’s defense and general tactical problems under Arne Slott leading to a less successful defense of the Premier League title.
Arsenal’s lead at the summit remains strong and the Reds must now fight for Champions League qualification, as well as silver medals in Europe’s elite club competition and the FA Cup.
However, the likes of Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher are concerned that the Anfield side remain short of defensive change even after signing statements on deadline day.
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Ibrahima Konate is out of contract at the end of the season, but despite FSG’s best efforts, a solution with the French centre-back is unlikely to be found.
Liverpool will not receive a transfer fee, but Konate has previously won prize money for his role alongside Van Dijk in helping them win last season’s Premier League title, so the return was significant.
Konate will be replaced by his compatriot Jeremy Jaquet. He is a 20-year-old who has just completed a £60m move to Merseyside, with the Blues considered to be front-runners for the Rennes star before Liverpool beat Chelsea.
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Although Jaquet is a player of the future, he is also thought to be ready for a Premier League role in 2026, with his athleticism and fast-paced defensive style similar to Konate’s, with the ball-playing range that manager Van Dijk would be proud of as he enters the final stages of his glittering journey at Liverpool next year.
The shallowness of Liverpool’s defense has been a major issue all season, but with Jacquet set to join Giovanni Leoni in the ranks next season, there is much to look forward to.
Of course, Leoni became the forgotten man. The teenager ruptured his ACL on his debut against Southampton and is not expected to return until the early months of 2026/27. However, the Italian is touted for his greatness and could form a long-term partnership with Jaquet.
League Format 25/26 – Jaquet vs Konate | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (* per 90) | backgammon | Only those in the know know |
Match (start) | 18(18) | 23(23) |
Goal + Assist | 0+0 | 1 + 0 |
clean sheet | 5 | 5 |
touch* | 71.0 | 75.0 |
Exact path* | 52.5 (91%) | 54.8 (89%) |
Opportunities created* | 0.5 | 0.2 |
Ball recovery rate* | 4.2 | 2.8 |
Tackle + Interception* | 2.4 | 2.0 |
clearance* | 4.7 | 6.0 |
Win a ground duel* | 2.4 (61%) | 2.6 (65%) |
Win an air battle* | 2.1 (76%) | 3.8 (73%) |
error that occurred | 4 times | 4 times |
Data via Sofascore | ||
However, FSG provided the Premier League side with even better rearguard quality. In fact, the young defender signed last month could develop into just as big a star as any high-profile addition.
Liverpool sign Van Dijk-like defender
Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has been criticized for failing to address Liverpool’s defensive problems. And to be fair, Slott only needs an injury to Van Dijk or Konate to jeopardize the crucial months ahead.
This is a potential issue that Liverpool will need to resolve internally, but Ifeanyi Ndukwe could help replace the mainstay in the future. He has been described by scout Jacek Krig as “one of Austria’s most exciting young talents” and has agreed a deal to join Liverpool from Austria Vienna at the end of the 2025/26 season for a fee of nearly £3 million.
The 17-year-old already has a wealth of experience in his home country and has yet to establish himself in Vienna’s first team, but that could change in the coming months ahead of a big move.
Despite his error-filled performances, Konate has proven to be strong, even domineering, in duels this season, and with Jaquet being framed as a dueling-adept centre-half, a promising player like Ndukwe will need to play A-game time in the academy for the next few years if he wants to take center stage under Slott.
The great thing about FSG’s smart signing is that Ndukwe will not be under any outside pressure to break into the big time any time soon. The majority of Premier League fans, and probably many Liverpool supporters, still don’t know the name.
But Hughes and others believe it will happen soon. After all, this is a defender who led analyst Raj Chauhan to describe him as having a ‘Van Dijk vibe’, with his burly physique and calm defensive approach suggesting he has the perfect skillset to succeed in the Premier League.
Already at 6ft 5in tall, Ndukwe will no doubt develop the aerial ability that Van Dijk has cultivated over the years in England. His speed and passing add further threads to a bow that looks tailor-made for Premier League football.
Of course, he is still developing physically and maturing as a footballer, but Ndukwe has the potential to become a superstar at Liverpool and is a reminder that the club has secured a new successful backline for the coming years.
We can only hope that existing options can keep the ship from sinking in the coming months.
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