Liverpool could sign 'new Sergio Ramos' this summer if Arne Slot seals $32m transfer

Liverpool needs to find a new center-back from somewhere this summer having allowed Joel Matip to leave at the end of his contract. Arne Slot's squad is strong but that is a position where some more depth would be advantageous.

Leny Yoro at Lille has been linked most heavily with a move to Liverpool and there is interest there, but in the past couple of days, Bologna star Riccardo Calafiori, who is currently impressing with Italy at Euro 2024, has also been suggested as an option. The Athletic has reported that Liverpool has asked about the availability of the defender.

Calafiori has drawn some lofty comparisons since reaching a wider audience at the Euros. Fans have been quick to praise his 'aura' and have likened him to Italian greats of the past like Paolo Maldini.

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But writing for La Gazzetta dello Sport, former England manager Fabio Capello has made a different comparison. He's drawn parallels to Sergio Ramos. "If I have to compare the Bologna defender to a player from the past, the first thought goes to a young Sergio Ramos," wrote Capello.

"In 2006/07, in my second stint on the Real Madrid bench, I coached the Spaniard, who had arrived the previous season from Sevilla. Calafiori, just like Ramos, transformed from a full-back into a center-back. And I can assure you that Sergio Ramos, as nasty as we remember him now, became that way over time."

Brighton, West Ham and Newcastle United have all also been linked with a move for Calafiori. Juventus, though, is the current favorite for his signature. Thiago Motta is taking over from Max Allegri at the Turin side and wants to take the player with him.

In April, Tuttomercato pitched Calafiori's valuation at around $32m (£25m/€30m). Swiss side FC Basel, as part of the deal that saw him to Bologna, would be entitled to a substantial chunk of the fee.

Liverpool.com says: Signing a player to play on the left side of the Liverpool defense makes sense to some degree but that player probably needs to also be capable of playing left-back in order to find enough minutes in the team. With Virgil van Dijk not going anywhere for now, he will have that spot locked down for the time being when it comes to the bulk of the games.