Liverpool Football Club bolstered its defense ahead of the 2026-27 Premier League season by signing Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes and welcoming Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona. Both acquisitions have proven decent so far. Jacquet has cemented his place alongside captain Virgil van Dijk, while Araujo is thriving at right-back and has quickly become a fan favorite.
While Liverpool’s defense looks promising right now, manager Andoni Iraola might not be done with recruitment. Iraola is expected to remodel Liverpool and sign new players in the January and summer transfer windows. Although Iraola can improve the midfield and other positions, reports suggest the Spanish manager wants to add another center-back.
A report from Football Insider suggests Liverpool are set to rival Manchester United in an attempt to sign Everton center-back Jarrad Branthwaite. Everton will demand £80M for Branthwaite, who is under contract until 2030. Is Branthwaite really worth £80M? The truth is that he may very well be worth the price Everton is demanding.
At 24, Branthwaite is a highly experienced Premier League player who has faced some of England’s best teams and attackers. Branthwaite is also physically dominant, quick across the ground, and strong in duels. At 6 feet 5 inches, Branthwaite is highly effective in aerial situations and useful in a low block or 1v1 defensive situations.
Another key reason Liverpool would benefit from signing Branthwaite is that he is naturally left-footed. This means Branthwaite could be the perfect candidate to replace Virgil van Dijk, who turns 36 next year. While Van Djik is right-footed, the Liverpool captain plays on the left side. This means when Van Djik decides to retire, a natural left footed player like Branthwaite could easily fit in the system and be the future of Liverpool’s defense alongside Jeremy Jacquet.
Along with Branthwaite, Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing 19-year-old Hull City defender Lucas Herrington. A July 2026 Team Talk report revealed that Liverpool, Barcelona and Manchester United are frontrunners to sign Herrington.
Later, on October 26th, 2026, journalist Rudy Galetti confirmed that Herrington has generated interest from some of the biggest football clubs in the world. While Herrington is currently playing for Hull City, he came into the spotlight after brilliant performances for Australia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Despite his young age, Herrington is a defender who is extremely composed on the ball. Along with composure, Herrington is also decent in the air and possesses the ability to play line-breaking passes. At 19, Herrington could be a great investment for Liverpool as he seems to have the talent to become a top defender in the Premier League.
Even former Arsenal defender Rob Holding, who played with Lucas Herrington in Major League Soccer, appreciated Herrington’s abilities. Holding praised Herrington’s composure, and he called him “a really good player.” Holding also added that Herrington is the type of player who gets better every week.
While signing Herrington is beneficial for Liverpool, the club will have to battle some of Europe’s top teams to secure his signature. However, the one reason why the Reds could succeed in signing Herrington is because of Virgil van Djik. At Anfield, Herrington will have the opportunity to be mentored by one of the greatest defenders to play the game. This luxury is something teams like Manchester United and Barcelona can’t offer Herrington right now.
