Davies will be like a new signing when he steps into the breach mid season.
No more signings until players are sold. Sell to buy. This means more.
Signing an elite centre-back has long since been the priority for Liverpool this summer.
Itās the area of Jurgen Kloppās squad that most desperately needs reinforcing after a season blighted by a defensive injury crisis.
The Athletic revealed in March that Liverpool were planning to sign RB Leipzigās Ibrahima Konate and, barring any late hitches, the France Under-21 international will become their first arrival of the summer window.
Liverpool are prepared to trigger his release clause of Ā£35 million, which has to be paid in one lump sum rather than instalments. The Bundesliga club are resigned to losing Konate, who has attracted interest from across Europe.
Klopp views the 22-year-old as having all the qualities required to compete for the right to partner Vigil van Dijk at the heart of his back four. At 6ft 4in, heās aerially dominant but also comfortable with the ball at his feet. His pace is ideally suited to Liverpoolās high-line style.
Liverpool also considered the merits of Villarrealās Pau Torres and Duje Caleta-Car of Marseille but view Konate, who has made nearly 100 appearances for Leipzig in all competitions since arriving from French side Sochaux in 2017, as the more complete package with the greater long-term potential.
Any concerns about Konateās injury record have already been alleviated by medical tests. Heās currently fully fit and preparing to face Holland in the quarter-finals of the Under-21 European Championship on Monday.
Liverpool will certainly be better stocked in the centre-back department than they were a year ago, when the decision not to replace Dejan Lovren following his departure to Zenit Saint Peterburg backfired.
Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all then suffered serious injuries, which limited them to just 22 league appearances combined in 2020-21.
That trio are on course to return to the fold during different stages of pre-season, with Gomez the most advanced in terms of his rehabilitation. Kloppās squad are due to report back for training on Monday, July 12 ā the day after the European Championship final.
van-dijk
Van Dijkās return will be a huge boost to Liverpool next season (Photo: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpoolās outstanding form in the final two months of the season ā they took 26 points out of the last 30 on offer to finish third in the Premier League ā was partly inspired by Fabinhoās return to his usual holding midfield role. Thereās a determination to ensure they have sufficient depth in future so heās not required to play as a makeshift centre-back again in 2021-22.
Ozan Kabak moved out of his house in Formby on Monday and said his goodbyes, after being informed Liverpool wonāt trigger their option to buy him for Ā£18 million following the end of his loan spell from German club Schalke.
The Turkey international was a stop-gap solution after arriving on deadline day at the end of the winter window.
He performed well after a difficult start and hoped he had done enough to earn a permanent move to Anfield. However, the decision to pursue Konate ā coupled with the progress made by Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams ā meant committing the funds required to keep Kabak wouldnāt have made sense.
Ben Davies didnāt play a single minute after his move from Championship club Preston North End for an initial fee of Ā£500,000 midway through the season. The 25-year-old defender has been told that Klopp sees parallels with how Andrew Robertson needed months to adjust to the teamās style of play when he arrived from Hull City in the summer of 2017.
Liverpool arenāt currently looking to off-load Davies, who will be assessed along with Phillips and Williams in pre-season before decisions on their futures are made. Much will depend on what kind of shape Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip are in, and whether they are properly fit to start the new campaign when it kicks off on August 14.
Phillips and Williams considerably enhanced their reputations with their form over the run-in, when Kabak and Davies were both injured.
Whether Liverpool need to sign a back-up goalkeeper this summer will hinge on whether Adrian decides to sign a new contract.
The club are keen to retain the services of the popular Spaniard, whose current deal expires at the end of next month. Adrian, who has offers to return to his homeland, is considering his options and talks are ongoing.
Caoimhin Kelleher climbed above Adrian in the pecking order over the course of this season, and the 22-year-old will be rewarded with a new contract in the coming months to reflects his status as the clubās No 2.
A new deal for first-choice keeper Alisson will also be a priority for sporting director Michael Edwards when the Brazilian returns to Merseyside after playing for his country in the Copa America this summer. His stock has never been higher and Liverpool want to ensure heās tied down long beyond the end of his current contract in summer 2024, and on improved terms.
Contract extensions were on hold during the pandemic as the financial impact took its toll but those matters will start to be addressed later this summer. Jordan Henderson, Van Dijk, Roberto Firmino, Fabinho, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane all have two years remaining on their deals.
In terms of his full-backs, Klopp is content with Kostas Tsimikas and Neco Williams as back-ups for Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Tsimikas has endured a difficult first season following his Ā£11.75 million move from Olympiakos as he struggled for both form and fitness. However, thereās a belief he will be better equipped to ease the burden on Robertson in 2021-22. The Scotland captain started all 38 Premier League games this season, with Tsimikas making just two brief substitute appearances in the top flight. Klopp also has James Milner and Gomez, who can both play full-back if required.
It remains to be seen how Klopp will fill the void created by Georginio Wijnaldumās emotional exit following the expiration of his contract. Like Robertson, Wijnaldum didnāt miss a league game all season and Kloppās warm tribute to the Dutch midfielder underlined how much he is going to be missed, on and off the field.
Senior Anfield sources have indicated that signing a replacement for Wijnaldum is not regarded as a necessity. They point to Hendersonās imminent return to fitness and the fact that academy graduate Curtis Jones is expected to have a bigger role in 2021-22.
Thiago also belatedly flourished after a tough start in English football following his summer move from Bayern Munich and should be more influential next season. Klopp has already declared that he intends to keep faith with Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Despite ongoing speculation, The Athletic understands that Brighton & Hove Albionās Yves Bissouma is not a target.
Further new arrivals after the expected signing of Konate will be influenced by how much is generated from player sales.
Another attacker will be required if, as expected, Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri depart. Thereās also a decision to be made on the future of Takumi Minamino, whose half-season loan at Southampton petered out after a bright start.
Origiās place in Anfield folklore is secure given the iconic moments heās given supporters over the years but he needs to pursue a new challenge after scoring just once in 17 appearances in 2020-21. The Belgium international, who has previously attracted interest from Wolverhampton Wanderers, is valued at around Ā£20 million.
Sporting director Edwards has a reputation for negotiating bumper fees for unwanted fringe players but the financial impact of COVID-19 will make that more difficult this summer.
Liverpool will listen to offers for Harry Wilson and Marko Grujic following the completion of their loans at Cardiff City and Porto respectively. They are each valued at around Ā£15 million.
Loris Karius, Sheyi Ojo, Ben Woodburn, Liam Millar and Taiwo Awoniyi could also be sold.
Awoniyi is the most valuable of that quintet after recently being granted a UK work permit. The 23-year-old striker has spent the past six years out on loan at a number of clubs across Europe, most recently Union Berlin. Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City have already shown interest in the Nigerian. Liverpool would sell for around Ā£8 million.
Liverpool donāt envisage any more high-profile exits. Klopp is planning for next season with Mane and Salah both still on board. Talk of trying to prise either Kylian Mbappe away from Paris Saint-Germain or Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund has been dismissed by senior club sources.
Kloppās attack will be bolstered in pre-season by the return of Harvey Elliott. The teenager enjoyed a highly productive season-long loan at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, where he scored seven goals and registered 11 assists.
Elliott will get opportunities in the warm-up matches in July when the squad will be depleted by players being granted three weeks off following their commitments at the Euros and Copa America. He is determined to use that time to convince Klopp that he can help Liverpool challenge for glory in 2021-22 rather than be loaned out again.
With key personnel returning from long-term injuries and belief restored after a morale-boosting end to the season, Klopp is largely content with what heās got. āLittle adjustmentsā was how he has described whatās required in the transfer market.
Once negotiations with Konateās representatives are completed, the young Frenchman should be the first new face through the door.
A couple more are likely to follow him in, but it wonāt be a busy summer regarding incomings at Liverpool.
Thiago was immense down the back straight after an injury ridden start - a big plus next year but Milner, Thiago and Henderson all the wrong side of 30. I think Jones is gonna be a very good player but he doesnt have the engine of Gini who when on his game was everywhere ā Jones is more creative tho. Elliot is an interesting one - loan out again or keep him? Heāll get all the cup games , however long that will be, and after that might only be minutes here and thereā¦ heās had half a season of pro football tho and shown heās up to it so he might push on and force his way in.
You seem to be forgetting about one key midfielder here.
Dare we speak his name?
Heāll be like a new signing.
Thiago in from of Big Virg is an exciting prospect
Curtis is up there with Gini for ball retention but doesnāt have his defensive instincts, heās a natural number 10. Legs are a vital ingredient in a Klopp midfield, two of the 3 need a massive engine. With Gini gone only Fab and Hendo offer that.
I think theyāll buy one more in midfield. Especially if they can sell off a rake of lads.
Pearceās article I linked above reads very much like a club PR piece. Not a pot to piss in and not interested in various reported targets.
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Like a new signing.
Heāll fit right in in the Ratoath Inn with that fashion sense 
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Liverpoolās medical team will look after him 
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They wonāt concede a goal all season with VVD and Konate in the back.
#impenatrable
I predict 34 assists for Robbo next season & 41 for Trent. Theyāll have free reign again.
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