Michael Edwards must think long and hard about £14m man after Liverpool vs Leipzig – Our View

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Liverpool showed why you should never ever write them off on Thursday evening as they dismantled RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

The Reds put on a performance of the highest calibre, and while there were plenty of Liverpool players making headlines during the game, one player Michael Edwards may want to now be thinking about was playing for the opposition.

Indeed, Liverpool have been linked with a move for both Nordi Mukiele and Ibrahima Konate, and it’s been hinted that they will make a summer move for one of those players.

“I think Liverpool intend to sign a centre-back in the summer and I think that central defender is probably someone they will play against in the Champions League’s Last 16. And I don’t think it’s going to be Dayot Upamecano,” New York Times journalist Rory Smith said.

Smith’s comments could easily allude to either Mukiele or Konate, and both have been linked, but Tuesday’s showing certainly gave Edwards food for thought on that front.

Mukiele had what can only be described as a nightmare performance, making a poor error that led to a goal and looking shaky throughout the night.

The €16m (£14m) man failed to cope with Liverpool’s attack, and that may highlight that he’s not cut out to play in the Premier League, which is something Edwards must consider before he makes a move.

Of course, Konate is also another option, and he didn’t actually get a game on Tuesday, as he’s still recovering from an ankle injury.

If he does play in the second leg, Liverpool would be wise to have a scout or a member of the recruitment team keeping an eye on how he gets on against the Reds, as he’s another defender that has faltered against Premier League opposition this season, conceding five when he faced Manchester United earlier this year.

It seems as though both Mukiele and Konate are on Liverpool’s radar, and while the jury is still out on Konate, Michael Edwards needs to think long and hard about whether or not he wants to continue considering Mukiele as an option after his poor showing on Tuesday.