If not Marc Guehi, then who?! Liverpool's centre-back options after losing top transfer target to Manchester City

Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid), Milos Kerkez (Liverpool) and Illia Zabarnyi (Paris Saint-Germain) all left the Vitality Stadium last summer - and it now seems inevitable that Bournemouth will lose another talented defender at the end of the current campaign. However, there'll be no juicy transfer fee for the Cherries this time around.

Marcos Senesi is out of contract in less than six months' time and is, thus, expected to join one of Europe's elite teams on a free, with bargain hunters Juventus and Barcelona both unsurprisingly interested in signing the Argentine.

Some Liverpool fans have suggested that their club should enter the running too, given Senesi is a left-sided central defender, Premier League-proven and available for 'nothing' - or, at most, a knockdown fee this month.

However, while there are some similarities to the Guehi situation, Senesi does not fit the preferred age profile for a prospective Liverpool signing, as he turns 29 in May. So while a move to Merseyside can’t be ruled out, it appears unlikely.

There's not a club in the world that wouldn't like to sign Alessandro Bastoni, the definition of a ball-playing centre-back. The Italy international is so technically accomplished, in fact, that he's more than capable of stepping into midfield or moving out wide to whip crosses into the area with his wand of a left foot.

The problem, though, is that Inter presently have no intention of cashing in on their most valuable asset, while the man himself seems very settled at San Siro. When asked in December if he intends to stay in Milan for the foreseeable future despite the constant speculation over his future, Bastoni replied, "Yes, probably. I'm happy here, and I have no issues. I don’t think about off-field matters."

Given the Italy international is also under contract until 2028, it would take a massive amount of money to prise him away from Inter - but Liverpool went big to sign Van Dijk in 2019. If they want to sign the best possible replacement for the Dutchman, they need look no further than Bastoni.

It was claimed back in November that Ousmane Diomande was Liverpool's back-up option if they failed to belatedly get a deal over the line for Guehi. The Reds' reported interest was certainly plausible. The Ivorian played a big part in Sporting CP winning back-to-back Liga Portugal titles and was also allegedly being courted by the likes of Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.

However, Diomande has since agreed a new contract with the Lisbon club that binds him to the Estadio Jose Alvalade until 2030, while his buy-out clause has apparently been increased to £70m. Whether Liverpool would really be willing to pay that much money for the 22-year-old at this particular point in time is very much open to debate, but there's no denying Diomande could prove a fine replacement for Konate if the Frenchman decides against extending his stay at Anfield.

Liverpool were linked with Micky van de Ven before he joined Tottenham in 2023, and the Reds missed a trick not moving for the Dutchman back then because his stock has actually risen over the past three seasons in spite of the fact that he's been playing at a club in an almost constant state of crisis.

Indeed, since arriving in north London, Van de Ven has caught the eye with his blistering pace and comfort on the ball - which is why Real Madrid have also been credited with a strong interest in signing the 24-year-old.

It's, thus, difficult to see Spurs agreeing to sell their most reliable defender - and particularly to a Premier League rival. Nonetheless, Van de Ven has never hidden his admiration for Anfield or indeed his international team-mate Van Dijk, meaning he would likely jump at the chance to succeed his compatriot as Liverpool's first-choice left-sided centre-back. Striking a deal would Tottenham would probably be the only hard part.

Liverpool are reportedly considering signing Edmond Tapsoba - and not for the first time. The Reds first expressed their interest in acquiring the Burkina Faso international back in 2021 but, after being put off by Bayer Leverkusen's ridiculous £44m asking price for an inexperienced defeat who was just 21 at the time, they instead signed Ozan Kabak on loan from Schalke.

There was also talk of an imminent bid for Tapsoba two years ago but, again, the proposed move never materialised, so could it really happen in 2026, given his value has only increased in the interim? Tapsoba still ticks a lot of boxes from Liverpool's perspective. The 26-year-old modelled his game on John Stones and that's clear from how confident and composed he is in possession.

He's also a long-time fan of Van Dijk and would unquestionably be tempted by the prospect of being reunited with former Leverkusen team-mates Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong at Anfield - and particularly if Xabi Alonso ends up succeeding Arne Slot as coach between now and the end of the season...

Sad as it to say, but Crystal Palace are falling apart, with Oliver Glasner making a point of going public with his refusal to extend his stay at Selhurst Park the day after the club agreed to sell captain Guehi to Manchester City. With Eberechi Eze long since gone and Jean-Philippe Mateta also tipped to leave this month, the team that won the FA Cup last season is already well on its way to being dismantled.

In that context, Liverpool may well be tempted to make a move for Guehi's former central defensive colleague, Maxence Lacroix. The Frenchman has never been capped by his country at senior level but he's been excellent for Palace since joining from Wolfsburg in 2024 and, at 26, is approaching his peak. With his mix of physicality and technique, he could prove an excellent replacement for Konate if he fails to agree terms over an extension.

Jan Paul van Hecke didn't attract too much attention during his first season at Brighton, but he's come on leaps and bounds since then and is now regarded as one of the most-improved players in the Premier League. Consequently, Liverpool are said to be keeping a close eye on his situation on the south coast, as the Dutchman has just 18 months left on his current deal and is reportedly refusing to sign an extension.

Of course, Brighton always drive a very hard bargain, but the Reds might well be willing to pay decent money for a tall and combative centre-back who is comfortable bringing the ball out from the back. After all, Van Hecke is still only 25, meaning his best years are ahead of him.

Konstantinos Koulierakis' inclusion on this list won't come as a surprise to Liverpool fans. By all accounts, the Reds have been tracking the 22-year-old for some time now and have noted the enormous progress he's made at Wolfsburg since joining from PAOK in August 2024.

'The Hammer', as he's become known, is very strong in tackle, good in the air (even though he's not the tallest), and such an all-round talent that he's prompted comparisons with Josko Gvardiol. We could easily see Liverpool signing the Greece international if they felt the price was right, as he's a young, progressive-passing centre-back with a very high ceiling.

Just two days into the January transfer, it seemed as if a deal for Joel Ordonez was all but done. According to various reports, Liverpool had agreed to pay an initial £35 million for the Club Brugge defender. However, it eventually emerged that the Reds were merely scouting Ordonez, who is also being monitored by Chelsea. 

Of course, that's not to say that Liverpool won't make a move for the Ecuadorian in the summer. At 21 years of age, Ordonez has already been capped 14 times by his country and has been performing very impressively indeed in the centre of Brugge's three-man defence in this season's Champions League. 

This is definitely one to keep an eye on, then, particularly as Ordonez's value would sky-rocket if he excels at this summer’s World Cup.

Borussia Dortmund are doing everything they can to convince Nico Schlotterbeck to extend a contract that expires in June 2027. "Things like this need time," sporting director Sebastian Kehl explained earlier this month. "He's used the winter break to think things over, but there's no new development yet."

The suspicion is, though, that Schlotterbeck is more out than in right now, and if he does decide that he wants to leave Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund would be forced into selling him this summer so as to avoid losing him for nothing next year.

In such a scenario, Liverpool would be almost certain to be near the front of the queue to sign a left-footed centre-back with a wonderful range of passing who has been named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season three times in the past four seasons.