Liverpool defensive depth leaves Iraola facing Quansah dilemma

Liverpool have backed themselves into an awkward corner at the back, and the timing could hardly be worse. Pre-season is supposed to sharpen ideas and settle nerves. Instead, it has exposed a problem that looks obvious to anyone watching closely, the defensive depth is creaking, and Andoni Iraola has said as much himself.

As first reported by Graeme Bailey for TeamTalk, Liverpool have been assessing their options while injuries and absences strip the squad bare in defence. Iraola did not dress it up. He said: “So with the centre-back, right-back situation, in terms of defensive depth, we are very thin right now, so it’s a solution that we are trying to find.” That is not a manager playing mind games. That is a coach staring at a shortage and saying exactly what he sees.

Quansah buyback remains complicated

The obvious name is Jarell Quansah. Liverpool inserted a buyback clause when he left for Bayer Leverkusen, and on the surface it looks like a ready-made answer. The fee is reported to be £70 million, a hefty figure, and according to BBC Sport there are “no current plans” to bring him back. More importantly, Bailey has already revealed that while Liverpool have discussed the idea, the clause does not become active until 2027.

That matters. It means supporters dreaming of a quick fix are probably getting ahead of themselves. Quansah is familiar, talented and home-grown, but football contracts tend to be less romantic than fans would like. Liverpool may want him, but wanting and doing are rarely the same thing in this market.

Ezri Konsa emerges as serious option

With Quansah not easily attainable, Ezri Konsa starts to make increasing sense. He can operate at centre-back and right-back, which is exactly the sort of versatility Liverpool need while the squad is stretched. Arsenal are also reportedly interested, which tends to push prices up and patience down, but Konsa looks like a practical target rather than an aspirational one.

There are other names in the mix. John Stones had appeal, but he is now heading to Inter Milan. Illia Zabarnyi has also been mentioned, with Liverpool admirers of the Paris Saint-Germain defender after becoming aware of his availability. Still, this feels like a moment for certainty over intrigue. Liverpool need bodies, reliability and availability, not a transfer riddle.

Injuries underline urgency for Liverpool

The immediate concern is simple. Joe Gomez has gone down, while Jeremy Jacquet is still being managed carefully. Iraola explained: “Probably the worst news has been straight away the injury of Joe. We were happy because we were going through training without losing any players and unluckily for us we’ve lost Joe straight away.” He also added: “With Jeremy we decided to take it easy with him, he’s had a lot of months without playing, he’s been training very well, but we’re going to take it easy with him. He will play probably in the last game of this U.S. tour, he will have time to have minutes, but we were kind of happy, but we’ve lost one now.”

Those words carry the ring of frustration because they come from a manager who knows the issue cannot be hidden. Liverpool are thin, and if they do not act decisively, this could become the sort of weakness that shapes a season before it really gets going.

Our View

From a doubtful Liverpool supporter’s perspective, this report lands with a familiar thud. The manager says the squad is “very thin right now”, and every fan can see it. So the question becomes simple, why does it always feel like Liverpool need a problem to become a crisis before the club moves properly?

Quansah sounds attractive because he is known and trusted, but if that clause is not active until 2027 then it feels like a distraction. It is the sort of story supporters cling to because it offers comfort, even when the reality says otherwise. If there are “no current plans”, then move on and solve the issue in the real market.

Konsa would make sense. He is proven in the Premier League, adaptable and dependable. He might not be the glamorous pick, but title challenges are often kept alive by players like that. Zabarnyi has quality too, though there is always a risk in chasing the more fashionable option while the immediate need goes unanswered.

The real worry is that Liverpool already know what the problem is, yet still seem to be weighing it up. Injuries to Gomez and the careful handling of Jacquet leave very little margin for error. Supporters have seen enough seasons drift because one weakness was tolerated for too long. If Iraola has been honest enough to spell it out publicly, the club must be sharp enough to respond. Otherwise, all the talk about defensive depth becomes a warning that went ignored.