Liverpool are reportedly in talks to sign Ilya Zabarnyi, a defender who has previously worked with manager Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth and who the club's director of football Richard Hughes previously signed for the Spaniard in his sporting director role with the Cherries.
Liverpool have entered talks to sign the Paris Saint-Germain defender, who is available due to not being the French side's first-choice. This move would immediately elevate Iraola's defensive depth, which is a pressing concern for the club.
The Reds' defence is currently thin due to a number of injuries, with Jeremy Jacquet and Joe Gomez nursing injuries, Giovanni Leoni still recovering from a serious ACL injury, and Conor Bradley out for at least a couple of months. This leaves Virgil van Dijk as the only available senior centre-back option, with Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who has played most of the pre-season games, potentially starting alongside him.
However, Ndukwe does not have the work-permit requirements to stay at Liverpool next season and will have to be sent out on loan. This leaves Mor Talla Ndiaye and Luke Chambers as the other centre-back options, both of whom are more comfortable on the left-side of the defence.
Liverpool are likely to need a right-back as well, with Jeremie Frimpong not trusted in that role. The club is probably 3-4 signings away from being able to compete for the top four, and it seems unlikely that director of football Richard Hughes will be able to get all of those deals done in time.
The reliable Liverpool fansite DaveOCKOP claims that the club has held fresh talks to sign Ilya Zabarnyi, who has proven himself in the Premier League and has won the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain.
The move would be a significant boost to Iraola's squad, which is looking thin in several areas. It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will be able to secure the signing of the defender before the transfer window closes.
Source: Yahoo Sports
