Liverpool eye £60m Konsa swoop as Iraola battles defensive crisis

Liverpool face a stark shortage in central defence after Ibrahima Konate’s exit and a spate of injuries, prompting Andoni Iraola to consider rivaling Arsenal for Aston Villa centre‑back Ezri Konsa, whose £60m valuation tests the club’s summer budget. The urgency was underscored on 06 Aug 2026 when Felix Keith Senior Sports Reporter10:33 highlighted the crisis.

Pre‑season fixtures have laid bare Liverpool’s thinness at the heart of the defence. An injury to Joe Gomez in a friendly against Sunderland exposed the lack of depth, while £55m signing Jeremy Jacquet remains sidelined with a shoulder problem and Giovanni Leoni continues his ACL recovery.

Virgil van Dijk’s post‑World Cup rest forced Iraola to turn to youth, starting 18‑year‑old Ifeanyi Ndukwe and 22‑year‑old Luke Chambers in a 4‑2 defeat by Leeds on Sunday, with fellow youngster Mor Talla Ndiaye also featuring.

The departure of Konate leaves a void for an experienced partner for Van Dijk. Konsa, an England international, has emerged as a target for Liverpool, while Arsenal also monitor him after William Saliba’s back injury, though Villa’s £60m price tag is thought beyond the Gunners’ means.

Konsa, 28, has two years left on his Villa contract, has made 286 appearances since joining in 2019, and brings a wealth of Premier League experience that could fit Iraola’s needs.

Iraola admitted recently: "With the centre‑back, with the right‑back situation, in terms of defensive depth, we are, I think, very thin right now so I think it's a solution that we are trying to find, yes." He added last month, "When the market is open, you have to be always open to new options to improve the squad."

Liverpool’s only other major signings this window are Jeremy Jacquet, who arrived from Rennes in January, and Victor Munoz, a £35m acquisition from Osasuna; the shortage was further highlighted when assistant Tommy Elphick had to fill in at centre‑back during a training drill.

Gomez will miss the Premier League opener against Newcastle on Aug 23, leaving Van Dijk as the sole fit senior centre‑back. Van Dijk also missed the United States leg of pre‑season, giving Iraola limited time to integrate him before the campaign starts.

The club is in a summer of transition, with Iraola replacing Arne Slot after a disappointing season that saw Konate, Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson depart. The exit of Fenway Sports Group chief Michael Edwards adds pressure on sporting director Richard Hughes to deliver.

Liverpool must now decide whether to meet Villa’s £60m price for Konsa, aware that Arsenal is also circling the player. The market remains open, but the valuation and competing interest represent the main obstacles to securing the experienced centre‑back before the transfer window closes.

ImagesAndoni Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images