Liverpool consider SHOCK move for Leeds Utd star centre-back

Liverpool are said to be considering a move for Leeds defender Jaka Bijol amid uncertainty surrounding Ibrahima Konate.

Konate’s contract expires at the end of the season, and Bijol, at 27 years old and in the prime of his career, is seen as an alternative, according to Fichajes.

Liverpool have sealed the signing of Jeremy Jacquet, the 20-year-old Rennes centre-back, who will arrive in the summer. The team may want a more experienced central defender as Jacquet and his presumed centre-back partner for the future, Giovanni Leoni, develop.

That is where Bijol would come in. The former Udinese player earned his first Premier League start in late October, and he has been nearly ever-present since. He only joined the West Yorkshire club over the summer for an €18 million fee, but his efforts in helping Leeds beat and draw Chelsea, draw Liverpool twice, and draw with Man Utd have put him on the radars of bigger clubs.

Bijol’s fast rise puts him in Liverpool’s sights

Bijol played just 90 minutes of competitive football for Leeds before his 24 October Premier League debut, and those minutes were in a 1-1 EFL Cup draw with Sheffield Wednesday that ended with Leeds being eliminated after Wednesday won the shootout 3-0.

Leeds have picked up 16 of their 31 Premier League points with Bijol playing. The Slovenia international scored the first goal in his club’s shocking 3-1 win over Chelsea in December, and he assisted the second goal in Leeds’ 4-1 win over Crystal Palace later that month.

Bijol is an imposing presence at 6-foot-3, and he is used to being under pressure as Leeds rank 14th in possession share at 45.2 percent.

He also wins the majority of his duels — 59.8 percent overall and 58.7 percent in the air — which is key for any centre-back on a team that dominates possession, like Liverpool do.

His ability as a set-piece threat, international experience with 69 appearances for Slovenia, and Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €21.7 million make him an attractive target as either a short-term starter or depth option.

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