Reporter confirms Liverpool’s interest in Bundesliga star
Liverpool’s centre back department has quietly become the beating heart of Richard Hughes’ transfer strategy, and the latest update only sharpens that focus. Credit must go to Florian Plettenberg for Sky Sports, whose reporting has brought clarity to a situation that could have a major bearing on how Arne Slot reshapes his back line over the next two seasons.
With academy signings already wrapped up and first team ready recruits on the way, the club’s approach feels structured rather than reactive. Jeremy Jacquet’s arrival from Rennes for £55m next summer, plus Giovanni Leoni already in the building, offers youthful upside. Yet it is the senior end of the squad that is creating urgency.
Liverpool defensive rebuild taking shape
Ibrahima Konate is out of contract at the end of this season, Joe Gomez is heading into the final 18 months of his deal, and Virgil van Dijk is expected to depart in 2027. That is not a hypothetical problem, it is a strategic one that requires planning well in advance.
Liverpool have already found themselves short in central defence this campaign, with periods where only Van Dijk and Konate were fit and available. That lack of depth has sharpened the thinking inside the recruitment department. A blend of youth and experience is clearly the aim, which explains why a proven international has suddenly come into the frame.
Upamecano contract situation explained
That defender is Dayot Upamecano, whose Bayern Munich future has become less certain after looking settled only weeks ago. Plettenberg confirmed the interest directly, saying, “Liverpool is interested in Upamecano, we can confirm that.”
However, wages are the major sticking point. Reports suggest Liverpool would need to go beyond £300,000 per week to make it happen, which is a doubt according to TeamTalk. One line in the report underlines the challenge clearly. “Liverpool are indeed interested in signing Upamecano, though his high salary expectations, upwards of £300,000 a week, are a concern.”
Financial implications for Liverpool
Those figures would place Upamecano just behind Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah in Liverpool’s wage structure. That alone makes this a fascinating test of the club’s evolving financial model. Hughes and Slot are building a squad for the long term, but they also know the value of experience in maintaining standards during a transition.
Jacquet and Leoni are both expected to challenge immediately, yet neither has played week in, week out at the very top level. Upamecano, at 27, offers Champions League pedigree, international experience and the physical profile Slot tends to favour.
This is not a panic move, it is a calculated one. Liverpool are preparing for a defensive reset, and an elite, battle tested centre back could smooth that process significantly. Whether the club can negotiate a reduction on those salary demands remains the pivotal question.
Our View – Anfield Index Analysis
From a Liverpool supporter’s perspective, this report feels both exciting and slightly nerve wracking. Upamecano on a free transfer sounds like a market opportunity that simply does not come around often, especially for a defender still in his prime. Watching the Reds struggle for numbers at centre back this season has been frustrating, so the idea of adding someone with his pedigree is appealing.
That said, £300,000 a week is huge. Fans have become used to Liverpool being disciplined with wages, even under new leadership. If the club commits that level of salary, it sends a signal that Slot is being backed to compete immediately at the very top, not just rebuild patiently.
There is also the balance to consider. Jacquet and Leoni look like serious talents, and supporters want to see a pathway for them. Bringing in Upamecano should not block that, it should elevate standards in training and give those younger defenders a world class reference point.
Ultimately, this feels like a gamble worth exploring. If Hughes can negotiate the wages down to something more in line with Liverpool’s structure, it could be one of the smartest Bosman deals of the era. As fans, we can only hope that ambition and sustainability find the right middle ground.
