Liverpool are in the market for a new centre back, with a host of potential signings linked in recent months.
Long-term injuries for Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez mean Liverpool could look for a new defender in this month’s transfer window.
A number of names have been touted, and a particularly interesting one emerged in the French media in December.
Foot Mercato reported that Liverpool have eyed up Lille star Sven Botman for a move to Anfield, having first made contact for him in November.
Lille would allegedly be willing to sell for €30million (£27million), having paid just £7million to sign him from Ajax over the summer.
Botman, 20, has impressed in France, showing that he is big and strong at 6ft 4in tall, whilst he is particularly appealing as a left-footed defender who can play out from the back.
Squawka have noted that Botman has the highest success rate of any Ligue 1 player when it comes to duels, highlighting that Jose Fonte could lose another centre back partner.
This has been a long-running theme for Fonte; Liverpool signed Dejan Lovren and Van Dijk off the back of their displays alongside Fonte at Southampton.
Toby Alderweireld was another who starred with Fonte, and Gabriel Magalhaes earned a move to Arsenal having similarly impressed.
Fonte responded to Squawka’s post by suggesting that he is ‘always happy to help’ his younger centre back partners when it comes to earning moves, hinting that Botman could be ‘another one’ with Liverpool keen.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
