Liverpool are monitoring the progress of Real Sociedad defender Diego Llorente, it has been reported.
According to Spanish outlet AS, Liverpool are among clubs monitoring the situation of Llorente with the view of a potential transfer.
The Real Sociedad star is likely to leave the club, and it is believed that the Reds have already lodged a €25 million for the defensive sensation.
Liverpool could, however, face stiff competition from West Ham, Fulham and Everton in their pursuit of the Spanish centre-back.
Diego Llorente: A top option for Klopp
Diego Llorente would be a welcome addition to Liverpool given their defensive conundrums in Virgil van Dijk’s potential absence. The Reds finished the 2018/19 Premier League campaign as the best defensive unit in the league. But, van Dijk has been the only real mainstay in the Liverpool backline.
And the Dutchman is yet to find a consistent defensive partner, with the trifecta of Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren struggling with frequent injury problems in the past year or so. Matip has managed to become a regular in Gomez’s spell out with an injury, but it remains to be seen what happens next season.
At times, Jurgen Klopp was forced to deploy Fabinho in central defence. Hence, Llorente is a decent option for the Reds.
The 25-year-old has become one of Real Sociedad’s best defenders since joining the club back in 2017. Primarily known for his passing, Llorente has attained an impressive pass completion rate of 84%.
Llorente is a technically astute defender who can pass in between the lines. He can also launch long and accurate diagonal balls in order to ease his side’s build-up play.
The Spaniard averaged an impressive 4.1 accurate long-balls per game during the 2018/19 campaign, which is only bettered by van Dijk among the Liverpool outfield regulars.
The Real Sociedad defender is also a threat from set-pieces, largely thanks to his 186cm frame. But, it is his concentration and positional sense that makes him such a solid defender.
On the flip side, however, Llorente has struggled with injuries as well in the past 12 months or so. He suffered three different kinds of injuries this past season that restricted him to just 1,751 minutes of league action. His ankle issue was also prevalent during the 2016/17 campaign with Malaga. And this could be a cause for concern for Klopp.
Considering Llorente would better suit the Liverpool system than someone like Lovren, however, an investment in the player might not be the worst decision.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored