Liverpool are reportedly battling with Arsenal over a deal to sign Eintracht Frankfurt star Nnamdi Collins, as per TEAMtalk.
The Reds currently have Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Virgil Van Dijk, and Giovanni Leoni as options to deploy in the centre-back positions. However, Gomez has been struggling with fitness problems in recent years and has been linked with a move away, with his existing deal set to expire at the end of next season.
On the other hand, Leoni has been ruled out for the entirety of this campaign, having sustained a serious knee injury on his debut. Konate, meanwhile, has entered the final few months of his current contract.
Van Dijk has displayed inconsistent performances thus far this season and has reached the twilight of his career. So, it has widely been documented that Liverpool are planning to revamp the backline and have already bought Jeremy Jacquet, with the Frenchman set to arrive at the end of this term.
Now, TEAMtalk claim that the Merseyside club are willing to sign another centre-back and have identified Collins as a serious option after being impressed by his recent performances in the Bundesliga.
Liverpool have already made contact to learn about the details of signing him. However, purchasing the 22-year-old won’t be straightforward as Arsenal are also interested in him, after monitoring his development closely.
On the other hand, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Brentford have earmarked Collins as an ‘attractive option’.
Battle
With the defender’s existing deal set to run until 2030, Frankfurt aren’t in any rush to sell him this summer.
Arsenal are currently well stocked in the defensive department, but have started exploring options to sign a new right-sided defender as a potential replacement for Ben White, who has struggled with fitness problems in recent years.
Collins, standing at 6ft 3in tall, is a centre-back by trait but is also comfortable in the right-back position. He is quick, strong, good in the air, comfortable playing out from the back, and efficient in defensive contributions.
The German is a highly talented player and possesses the necessary physical attributes to flourish in the Premier League. So, he would be a shrewd acquisition for Arsenal or Liverpool should they purchase him.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club or the Merseyside club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his services during the offseason.
