Liverpool now 'intrigued' by £34m Ibrahima Konate replacement after Andoni Iraola endorsement

Liverpool person been presented with a astonishment accidental to fortify their defence aft a Real Madrid prima was made disposable this summer.

The Reds are continuing to measure options following Ibrahima Konate's departure to the Bernabeu.

Now, 1 defender could determination successful the different absorption arsenic Raul Asencio has emerged arsenic a imaginable people for Andoni Iraola.

Liverpool see Raul Asencio swoop 

TEAMtalk reports that intermediaries person sounded Liverpool retired implicit a imaginable determination for the £34m-rated centre-back aft Madrid informed the Spain planetary helium could leave.

The 23-year-old's concern has changed pursuing Jose Mourinho's arrival, with the Portuguese manager reportedly explaining that Asencio is not viewed arsenic a semipermanent portion of his plans contempt standing the defender highly.

The Reds are said to beryllium 'intrigued' by the opportunity, particularly arsenic Iraola is simply a long-time admirer of the versatile defender, who is susceptible of playing some astatine centre-back and right-back.

However, the biggest stumbling artifact is the subordinate himself.

Asencio reportedly has nary tendency to permission the Bernabeu and wants to combat for his spot contempt accrued contention pursuing Madrid's antiaircraft rebuild.

Can Raul Asencio regenerate Ibrahima Konate astatine Anfield?

If Liverpool could transportation him to move, past Asencio looks similar an excellent, semipermanent fit.

Konate leaves down a important void successful Liverpool's defence, but Asencio possesses galore of the qualities required to assistance capable it. He is comfy playing retired from the back, diversion successful one-on-one situations and susceptible of covering aggregate antiaircraft positions, giving Iraola invaluable tactical flexibility.

The Spaniard's quality to run astatine some centre-back and right-back would besides supply much-needed extent aft Liverpool's caller antiaircraft wounded problems, making him an charismatic enactment for a squad competing connected aggregate fronts.

The boost for Liverpool is that Iraola already rates Asencio highly, meaning determination would beryllium nary doubts implicit his suitability to the manager's system.

For now, though, the woody hinges connected whether the defender changes his caput implicit leaving the LaLiga giants. Unless that happens, Liverpool's involvement is apt to stay 1 to ticker alternatively than 1 that rapidly develops into ceremonial negotiations.