Van Dijk and Konaté are both in poor form; after losing the Community Shield, Liverpool aims to sign Gueye and Leoni.

Liverpool lost the Community Shield to Crystal Palace, starting the new season without a win. The biggest issue reflected in this match is Liverpool's defense, as starting center-backs Van Dijk and Konaté made multiple errors, highlighting a significant weakness in the team.

According to the latest report from Italian transfer expert Romano, following the loss of the Community Shield, the coaching staff led by Slot has recognized the team's center-back issues. Van Dijk has aged another year, and his errors and reluctance to push forward have become more pronounced. Meanwhile, Konaté is in a contract year, distracted and injury-prone. Liverpool needs to find successors for this center-back duo ahead of time and plans to sign both Gueye and Leoni during this summer transfer window, considering this center-back recruitment more critical than signing striker Isak.

Romano reports that Liverpool is engaged in in-depth negotiations with Crystal Palace to sign Gueye. The 25-year-old English defender has only one year left on his contract and is eager to join Liverpool in pursuit of more championship honors. Currently, negotiations between the two clubs are progressing smoothly. Gueye is not renewing his contract, and Crystal Palace hopes to sell him this summer to avoid losing him for nothing next year. Liverpool has a good relationship with Crystal Palace, and Gueye wants to ensure a transfer fee for the club, making his signing this summer feasible.

Romano also followed up on Liverpool's pursuit of 18-year-old Leoni from Parma. Parma is asking for over €30 million, while the 1.96-meter-tall Italian center-back is valued at €18 million. The two sides are still in negotiations. Gueye is an immediate asset, while Leoni is a player with potential. Italian teams find it hard to compete with Liverpool for Leoni, and a transfer fee exceeding €30 million is entirely acceptable for Liverpool. Therefore, Liverpool is likely to sign both center-backs Gueye and Leoni this summer.

In my personal opinion, Ekitiqué is strong in the striker position, and Isak can be put on hold. Liverpool should prioritize signing center-backs; if they can sign both Gueye and Leoni, then they could consider selling Konaté, who has a one-year contract, this summer.