Liverpool transfer targets compared as Hincapie, Colwill and Inacio deals are weighed up

Piero Hincapie, Levi Colwill and Goncalo Inacio are all reportedly targets for Liverpool as they look to splash out on a left-sided centre-half. 

It is no secret that Jurgen Klopp has been looking to add defensive reinforcements to his backline for some time now, with both Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk on the wrong side of 30 and Joe Gomez not seen as the long-term partner with Ibrahima Konate at Anfield.

20-year-old Jarell Quansah has also picked up minutes sporadically in the league this campaign on Merseyside as well as in cup competitions.

Still, it would seem as though Quansah would be preferred on the right side should he break into the starting XI in the coming years.

Defenders are required to have decent ball-playing abilities in the modern game, with building up from the back becoming imperative in most systems and Liverpool’s is no different.

They are without a naturally left-footed centre-half that can bring the ball out of defence and build up from the back and this summer they will aim to change that with the acquisition of one of these players…

Piero Hincapie

Currently a key cog in the only remaining team unbeaten in all competitions in Europe’s top five leagues, Piero Hincapie has starred for Bayer Leverkusen this campaign as Xabi Alonso’s side aim to end Bayern Munich’s 11-year title-winning streak.

Hincapie joined Leverkusen from Argentinian side Talleres in 2021 for around £5million and has since gone on to make 95 appearances in all competitions for the German side, as well as over 30 appearances for his country.

He represented Ecuador in the Qatar World Cup, where he played every minute of their group-stage games as they finished third, failing to progress.

At just 22 years old, the Ecuadorian has adapted to life in Europe seamlessly and is proving his worth under one of Europe’s brightest coaches.

He is quick, reads the game well, is very aggressive and is an excellent dribbler, which is vital for breaking through a high press, which in the Premier League is becoming increasingly regular as teams look to play on the front foot.

Hincapie is a primarily short-passer – he averaged the most short passes (per 90 minutes) in the Leverkusen squad last season – and completed these an impressive 91.4% of the time.

And of the 479 times that a Leverkusen player attempted to pass to Hincapie last season, 465 reached their target – a 97.1% success rate.

According to Transfermarkt, his current value is around €35million (£30million), but with a contract that runs until 2027, a price tag upwards of €60million is likely what it would take to take Hincapie from the BayArena.

Liverpool have already proven that they are willing to invest a large sum in centre-halves, with both Van Dijk and Konate already joining the Reds for over a combined £100million.

With their midfield rebuild close to complete and attack thriving, Klopp is likely to put his focus on the defence and Hincapie could be coming through the doors this summer.

Levi Colwill

It is no secret that Klopp has been a long-term admirer of England and Chelsea defender Levi Colwill, with the German trying to sign the 20-year-old last summer before he signed a new contract at Stamford Bridge until 2029.

Colwill experienced his first taste of senior football in the 2021/22 season on-loan with Huddersfield Town, where he would help the Terriers reach the play-off final against Nottingham Forest, in which they would ultimately succumb to a 1-0 defeat with Colwill scoring an unfortunate own goal.

The following season was spent on loan with Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion, where Colwill would help the Seagulls qualify for the Europa League for the first time in their history.

Upon his return to Chelsea, Colwill was highly sought after by both Brighton and Liverpool, though Chelsea stood firm by rejecting bids of around £30million and retained Colwill’s services by announcing that he had signed a new six-year deal with the Blues.

Under Mauricio Pochettino, with the absence of Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella, Colwill has been forced to play as a left-back, which is not his strongest position, though he is perfectly capable of covering there, even though he does not offer the attacking impetus Chilwell or Cucurella do.

In Colwill’s 17 appearances last season for Brighton, he made more forward passes per 90 (30.5) and passes into the final third (8.59) than any Chelsea centre-back and exudes confidence when on the ball, pausing play which lures the opposition into a press before making a smart pass to get his team out of trouble.

Colwill ranked in the bottom 1% for tackles in 2022-23, attempting just 0.59 per 90, preferring to use his speed and physicality to sweep up the mess rather than diving into tackles, with his exceptional game-reading abilities allowing him to do so, something Van Dijk himself is renowned for.

According to Transfermarkt, Colwill’s value is currently around €55million (£47million), though it would likely take something upwards of €100million for Chelsea to even consider selling their youth academy product to a Premier League rival, something they are unwilling to do.

If Klopp is to get the England international, a world-record bid will be mandatory.

Which of these three defenders should Liverpool sign: Piero Hincapié, Gonçalo Inácio or Levi Colwill? 📊 pic.twitter.com/k3fsJyOqrP

— TEAMtalk (@TEAMtalk) January 25, 2024

Goncalo Inacio

Last on the list is Portuguese centre-half Goncalo Inacio, who has starred on the left side of Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation this campaign for Sporting CP, who currently top the Liga Portugal with the third-best defensive record.

It has been former Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres who has been stealing the headlines in the Portuguese capital this season, with his 21 goals and assists in 17 league appearances since joining in the summer linking him to Premier League clubs for his release clause of around €100million, though Inacio has been just as important at the back.

Inacio has spent his entire career at Sporting since joining their youth system in 2012 and has since made over 150 appearances in all competitions for the Lions and broke into the Portuguese national squad in 2023.

Last season, the Portuguese defender ranked in the top 99% for passes attempted per 90 (88.63) and progressive passes per 90 (9.04) compared to other centre-backs in world football, highlighting his technical ability on the ball and ability to break the lines, something which Liverpool’s pacey forwards would certainly appreciate.

The 22-year-old also ranked in the top 97% for progressive carries with 1.90 per 90, meaning he can drive into the midfield and break the press of the opposition with great success.

According to Tranfermarkt, Inacio’s market value is currently around €40million (£34million), though the capital side is said to be holding out for his £52million release clause after already reportedly rejecting a bid of around £26million from Liverpool.

Teammate Ousmane Diomande is also likely to be the subject of major interest in the summer, so it is unlikely that Sporting will part with their academy product easily.

Whoever Klopp goes for, they won’t come cheap, though with age on their side and left-sided ball-playing centre-backs high in demand, it will almost certainly be worth it.