Liverpool are reportedly ready to impose themselves in the January transfer market, as Jurgen Klopp prepares to bolster his squad ahead of the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Reds have lost just one game in the Premier League this season, suggesting that their midfield revamp in the summer has worked to good effect, however the Merseyside giants are speculated to be eyeing additional reinforcements in another area of the squad.

The arrivals of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch completed the rebuild of the engine room at Anfield, with reports now suggesting that the defence is the next area to be targeted for strengthening in the winter.

With Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip only getting older, the plan to replenish the back line with refreshed central additions looks likely in January, with a host of talent already said to be of liking to Liverpool.

Liverpool transfer targets – Defenders

A report from 90min last month named the Reds as one of the many sides interested in LOSC Lille centre-back, Leny Yoro.

At just 18 years old, the teenager has prevailed as one of Ligue 1’s brightest defensive prospects, catching the eye of a host of Premier League representatives, including Chelsea and Manchester United.

With a CIES Football Observatory market value of €20m (£17m), the Frenchman’s movements in the future will be an interesting development to follow.

Moving to Portugal, Liverpool are said to be favourites to sign Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio, according to reports in Spain.

The Spanish outlet claims that the Premier League side are ahead of Barcelona and Real Madrid in their bid to sign the 22-year-old, adding that Klopp ‘demands’ a top-level central defender in January.

Sporting are said to value their star defender around €60m (£52m), with his movements in the window something to track at Anfield.

Goncalo Inacio’s playing style

Once lauded as “complete” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Inacio has prevailed as one of the top-performing central defenders in Portugal since his rise to prominence at Sporting.

The Portugal international has worked his way through the ranks at his current club, with his place in Ruben Amorim’s side non-negotiable thanks to his assured presence in the back line.

The infamous Alcochete academy in Lisbon has produced stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, with Inacio one of the latest to be tipped with a bright future among Europe’s elite, with a host of clubs swarming around his future already.

A scouting report from Breaking the Lines noted the best quality of Inacio’s playing style as being his ‘excellent progressive passing’ and ability to move play forward and away from high-pressure situations when protecting the goal.

Breaking the Lines lauded the 22-year-old’s stance as being ‘extremely comfortable on the ball’, dubbing him ‘incredibly well-balanced’ and the standard of a ball-playing defender that is so heavily yearned for in Europe’s elite clubs.

Such praise and description is supported by the 6 foot 1 defender’s statistics, where he ranks in the top 1% of centre-backs in leagues comparable to Liga Portugal for his average of 87.04 passes attempted per 90 and 8.63 progressive passes per 90 over the past year, via FBref.

As a confident and mature centre-back, the Portuguese dynamo is a luxury presence in Sporting’s back line, making him an in-demand figure going into the January window.

Why Goncalo Inacio would be a good signing for Liverpool

While Liverpool won’t be thinking about replacing Van Dijk any time soon, the quality that the Dutchman has shown at Anfield has only raised the bar in terms of the calibre of player that could replace him in the future.

In Inacio, Klopp could not only seek an heir to the 32-year-old but also competition or a future partner to Ibrahima Konate, who has battled Joel Matip to claim his place in the favoured XI following his arrival in 2021.

As a left-footed centre-back, the Portugal international could be the perfect player to pair Konate for years to come, with the Frenchman most reliable on the right side of defence to put his progressive strengths into full effect.

At 24 and 22, respectively, Klopp could unearth the pairing to take Liverpool forward, with the two players having similar playing styles in being confident in possession and composed when under threat.

The aggressive approach sometimes showcased by the France international could see him form a well-balanced pivot with Inacio, who has the power to be the anchor and provide in moving play upfield, with his strengths in distribution his greatest asset.

How Goncalo Inacio compares to Liverpool’s centre-backs

When comparing the 2023/24 Premier League statistics of Konate, Van Dijk, Matip and Joe Gomez to those of Inacio in Liga Portugal, it’s clear to see why Klopp would target the 2001-born ace’s services in January.

As portrayed above, the £52m target prevails as the best option with regard to progressive play, an attribute that is favoured within the elite class of central defenders in Europe and beyond.

Inacio could offer Liverpool strength in an area that is working expertly for their rivals in the Premier League, in a move that would undoubtedly show the manager’s eye for progression in the back line going forward.

What is also traceable in the table is how similar the 22-year-old’s strengths on a per-90 basis are to Konate, who could prove to be the most suitable player to partner the Portugal whiz in the future at Anfield.

In warding off interest from the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, Liverpool could capture the signature of Inacio, in a move that could represent a similar switch in personnel at the back to the success of Van Dijk’s arrival in January 2018.