Liverpool are prepared to spend £42 million to sign Finn Jeltsch in the January transfer window, as Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez see their contracts run down. The club failed to replace Ibrahima Konate this summer after the centre-back joined Real Madrid as a free agent, leaving the heart of Andoni Iraola's defence a concern this season.
While Van Dijk has shown he still has life in his legs at 35, and Jeremy Jacquet has acclimated to the Premier League since arriving from Rennes this summer, the Reds lack depth at the back. Giovanni Leoni is still on the road to recovery from a long-term ACL injury sustained early last season.
Contracts expiring next summer
The contracts of both Van Dijk and Gomez are set to expire next summer, prompting the Anfield hierarchy to scour the market early for replacements. Jeltsch has emerged as a priority target.
According to Sport Witness, the 20-year-old has attracted Liverpool's interest following a stellar breakthrough season with VfB Stuttgart. Initially valued at around £30m, a wealth of interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs has seen Jeltsch's value soar, with reports suggesting Liverpool are willing to pay as much as £42m.
Competition for the defender
Liverpool will face stiff competition for the young centre-half. Juventus and Real Madrid are also thought to be tracking Jeltsch, meaning a bidding war could ensue when the transfer window reopens.
Graeme Souness has urged the Reds to award Van Dijk a fresh deal, highlighting the captain's importance to Iraola's set-up. Speaking to Mirror Football last week, Souness said: "I think there's still life left in Virgil, but what is he, 35 now? I think there's definitely another year left in him."
He added: "I mean, people criticised him when he got that terrible injury from the Everton goalkeeper [Jordan] Pickford, but he came back from that and it's a lazy thing to say, he's not the same player. I didn't see that. I think Konate was a difficult player to be playing with. I see there's still life left in Virgil. I'll be giving him another year anyway with an option to take a second year because he's a Rolls-Royce of a player."
Current form and upcoming fixtures
Liverpool have impressed early in the 2026/27 season, with Iraola settling into his new surroundings after succeeding Arne Slot in the summer. The Reds sit fourth in the Premier League standings after seven matches, having enjoyed a hard-earned 2-1 win over Brentford on Saturday.
Up next for the club is a home clash with Villarreal on Tuesday, October 20 at 8pm. A return to Premier League action then awaits, as the club welcome Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday, October 25 at 2pm.
