Real Sociedad's defender from Spain Diego Llorente celebrates a goal during the Europa League football match Real Sociedad vs Rosenborg BK at the Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian on September 14, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / ANDER GILLENEA (Photo credit should read ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images)
Liverpool are reportedly targeting a new centre-back, and are interested in signing Real Sociedad defender, Diego Llorente.
The 26-year-old has been a consistent performer for the Spanish club, which has led to interest from the Premier League leaders.
As per a report by Spanish publication La Razon, Llorente is one of many central defenders the Reds are interested in.
Llorente has been at Real Sociedad since signing with them from Real Madrid, and has made 77 appearances for the Spanish club since his debut in 2017.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has a few options at centre-back. The colossal Virgil Van Dijk has transformed the Liverpool side, while Joel Matip and Joe Gomez have solid partners for the Dutch centre- back.
Dejan Lovren, however, hasn’t really inspired confidence and could leave the club in the next transfer window if his playing time doesn’t improve before that. The Reds will need to find a replacement for the Croatian, and Diego Llorente could be a smart choice.
Llorente is a centre-back who is good in the air, winning an average of 2.5 aerials duels in the 2019-20 season. The defender is also a confident passer of the ball from the back, which is one quality that Klopp looks for in his players at the back.
The Spaniard averages 3 long balls per game in the 2019-20 La Liga season, while averaging an admirable 59.3 passes per game.
The centre-back is also versatile, as he has played in defensive midfield – which makes him a decent backup option to Fabinho in that position, while he has also played at right-back.
Llorente is a solid player who could add depth to the Liverpool squad and would be a better option than Lovren at centre-back. His ability to play in defensive midfield means that the Reds get a player who is dependable in two positions.
The Reds need to make small tweaks to their squad to keep it fresh as well as maintain their dominance, and Llorente could help them achieve those goals.
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