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Liverpool must plan approach for £38m defender Klopp reportedly sees as natural Van Dijk partner – TBR View

Giuseppe Labellarte

Fri 29 January 2021 20:45, UK

Fabrizio Romano has claimed that reported Liverpool target Dayot Upamecano “willౠ be sold next summer”.

The 22-year-old RB Leipzig centre-back is one of the 🅠most sou✅ght-after young defenders in world football at present.

Last summer, Upamecano committed his future to the Bundesliga club until 2023, but he is still said to have multiple suitor🐓s after hဣim.

According to , Liverpool are eag⛦er to sign the Frenchman, as are Premier League rivals Manchester United.

Jurꦿgen Klopp reportedly regards Upamecano as a natural partner for Virgil van Dijk when the Dutchman returns from his cruciate ligament injury.

The report also claimed 🐠that United might’ve been tempted to steal a march on Upamecano this month amid Liverpool’s purported lack of funds for January signings.

However, Romano played down such claims, claiming the race f💧or the £38million star will🥃 take place this summer.

To be clear about Dayot Upamecano. No chances for him to leave RB Leipzing in the coming days, he’ll be sold next summer [release clause €42.5m]. Manche🅺ster United are *not* in talks to sign him in January. The race is open for next summer. 🔴

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano)

Romano is one of the most reliable transfer reporters ꦺin the industry, and his comments ab𓂃out Upamecano potentially being up for grabs in the summer should be music to Liverpool’s ears.

The Reds have really struggled at the back this year, with both Van Dijk and Joe Gomez sidelined long-term, while Joel Matip appears injury-prone and Fabinho has also pick🥀ed up a few knocks.

Against Tottenham, Liverpool finished the game with Jordan Henderson and the inexperienced Nathaniel🌞 Phillips at the back.

Klopp has mostly gotten lucky, with Fabinho and Henderson both impressing out of position✅ and Phillips and Rhys Williams doing well considering their youth and lack of experienꦰce.

But even though⛎ Van Dijk and Gomez are expected back before the end of the season, Klopp must ensure that such a crisis💞 in central defence does not happen again.

Upamecano is a superb player, a tall, strong centre-back with ex𒁃plosive pace and superb reading of the game, and could play for any team in the world.

Having him in the Liverpool ranks means that he could vie with Gomez for the remaining centre-ba💫ck slot.

Upamecano would improve competition 𝓰and ultimately cause everyone in the back line to step their game up, much like Diogo Jota’s arrival did for the fr💃ont line.