'Fantastic' past Liverpool target is proving Jurgen Klopp right after strong season form

Liverpool’s previous targets under Jurgen Klopp left a wonder of what could have been - and the reported links with Levi Colwill showed they were on the right track.

Last summer, which was Klopp’s final one at the club, was hugely eventful. There were multiple targets reported as the club brought in four midfielders but there was a lot of talk surrounding a defensive addition.

The past few years have seen all manner of young and promising centre-backs that included Josko Gvardiol, Goncalo Inacio, Alessandro Bastoni and the Chelsea star, to name a few. Yet, Colwill’s position was up in the air for a period after he completed his loan at Brighton in 2023, there were question marks whether he would remain at the faltering London club, who had just finished 12th.

Liverpool had hoped to take advantage of the club’s financial fair play issues and uncertainty before he penned a new deal but he later committed himself to the club until 2029. And now he’s thriving under Enzo Maresca. According to DataMB, he ranks as the joint-third best performing centre-back in the Premier League, with Pau Torres and Virgil Van Dijk the only two players to score higher.

Only 21, he looks to be the future of England in that position as he finds himself, once again, in Lee Carsley’s squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League games. The thought of him playing next to Van Dijk or Konate with his all-round game and exceptional passing range is tantalising. It’s no secret that most of their centre-back targets across the past few years have been left-footed as their squad currently doesn’t possess any.

The future of Liverpool’s defence is an interesting topic given that Van Dijk could exit on a free transfer if he doesn’t agree a new deal. Plus, Joe Gomez was close to an exit this summer. Both Jarell Quansah and Ibrahima Konate are seen as the future; Quansah has already penned a deal and the Frenchman is rumoured to be next but the question will always be who could ever replace Van Dijk?

Perhaps no-one will ever be able to fill that gap completely, but the interest in Colwill suggests he could have been someone who learned from him for a few years before then taking over his role and his start to the season has shown he would have been an incredible signing.