Liverpool have been in talks with a number of players as the 2026-27 summer transfer window approaches, which promises to be one of the busiest in the Premier League. Several members of the first team are being linked with possible departures from Anfield. Head coach Andoni Iraola has several issues to resolve with athletic director Richard Hughes, which has led to a steady stream of new player connections. A team of Liverpool's quality should be challenging for the title, but without some new additions that seems highly unlikely. Thus, several options need to be considered before making final decisions.
One of the Reds' previous targets was recently cleared to leave the club and, given his potential, he could be an even better signing than Micky van de Ven. Castello Lukeba is available to be signed for around 52 million euros. Liverpool's defense could be a real problem this season. Virgil van Dijk has a guaranteed place in the line-up, but with the departure of Ibrahima Konaté, there is no clear successor for him in the team. While Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet are all viable options, Gomez's fragility and the other two's lack of Premier League experience make it clear there is a need to reinforce the defense.
Without that addition, Van Dijk will have to take responsibility again, and at 34 at the end of next season, it is unclear whether he will be able to maintain that level until the end. Several defenders have already been linked with the club and although Van de Ven has been the most mentioned defender, it appears that Liverpool could have an even better option, especially if Sky Germany's reports are confirmed. In May, Sky Germany journalist Philipp Hinze shared an update on Lukeba's situation and mentioned the price demanded by RB Leipzig for the Frenchman.
"RB Leipzig are preparing for more moves in the central defense position this summer," he said. "The club is open to a departure for Castello Lukeba, and the player himself is also ready for a new challenge. His release clause is 80 million euros, but Leipzig would be willing to negotiate from 60 million. There could also be moves involving El Chadaille Bitshiabu. The French defender was already considering leaving in the winter, and nothing can be ruled out for the summer. Leipzig would prefer to keep Bitshiabu, but are not ruling out a transfer. On the other hand, RB Leipzig is watching the market for central defenders and preparing for possible developments.
Why would Castello Lukeba be a better signing for Liverpool than Micky van de Ven? At first glance, Van de Ven and Lukeba are very similar players. Both are left-footed and can play as either a defender or a left-back if necessary. However, a crucial difference between the two is that one club wants to transfer its defender while the other does not. Despite Tottenham signing Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke this summer, they still intend to keep Van de Ven in their squad. In fact, this could mean that Luka Vuskovic or Cristian Romero are on their way out, but among these three players, Van de Ven is the best, especially for what Liverpool needs. Most of the defenders Liverpool have been linked with this season have been left-footed, which could indicate that Iraola and Hughes are looking for a successor to Van Dijk. Both Lukeba and Van de Ven would be exceptional additions, but given that the Frenchman could be signed for €51m and is two years younger than the Dutchman (23 vs 25), making a move for him makes a lot of sense.