Liverpool: Reds in advanced talks to sign £55m “wall”

Liverpool are progressing in talks to sign an exciting new defender in January, and a fresh report has revealed the exact price it will cost to bring him to the Premier League.

Who do Liverpool have at centre-back?

On Merseyside, Jurgen Klopp currently has Virgil Van Dijk, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah as his options at the heart of the backline, but with the former pair both 32 years of age, they aren’t getting any younger and will soon need replacing.

Furthermore, Anfield’s captain has recently been suspended, not to mention when extremely frustrating injuries occur that the club are seemingly prone to, so the hierarchy could look to bolster their defensive ranks at the start of the new year having failed to secure any players in that position over the summer, and they already seem to have highlighted their ideal candidate.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie first joined Xabi Alonso’s side from CA Talleres back in 2021 and he’s since gone on to make a total of 77 appearances, but despite still having another four years remaining on his contract, he’s been linked with a move to the top-flight.

Back in August, Ecuador’s international reportedly held talks with both the Reds and West Ham United, with RB Leipzig also credited with an interest, and whilst a deal failed to come to fruition before the deadline, the 21-year-old could make it second time lucky in January.

Are Liverpool signing Piero Hincapie?

According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), Liverpool have entered “advanced talks” with Bayer Leverkusen over a deal for Hincapie in January.

Klopp is claimed to be personally “pushing” to get a move over the line having made the centre-back position his priority area to target at the start of the new year.

The BayArena star is only valued at £30m, as per the same outlet, but it’s stated that the two parties are negotiating a switch worth in the region of £55m, so this is definitely one to keep a close eye on in the weeks and months ahead leading up to 2024.

How good is Piero Hincapie?

As per football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Hincapie is a defensive “wall” and that showed last season as he was averaging 2.5 clearances, two aerial wins and 1.7 tackles per game in the Bundesliga, via WhoScored, but whilst he can be a rock at the heart of a backline, he’s also capable of getting involved in the final third.

The Esmeraldas native ranks in the 95th percentile for progressive carries by centre-backs which highlights his desire to push his team up the pitch, and during his time at his current club, this has resulted in him posting five contributions (three goals and two assists) in 77 outings.

Furthermore, Hincapie, who is naturally left-footed, has the ability to operate out wide at left-back and even slightly higher up in the midfield alongside his usual role in the centre, so his versatility would be yet another fantastic attribute for the boss to have in the building.