Fabrizio Romano has noted it’s difficult to determine who Liverpool are specifically scouting over in Frankfurt.

The Merseysiders dispatched scouts to monitor the situation over in Hesse. £42.8-51.4m valued defender Willian Pacho is thought to be a potential subject of interest for English top-flight sides.

The Metro reported that the Reds and Arsenal have made inquiries over the centre-half’s future.

“I spoke yesterday about how they have been monitoring Eintracht Frankfurt, but it’s not really about specific players. It’s normal for top clubs like this to send their scouts to monitor entire teams, but it’s too early to report on anything more than that,” the CaughtOffside columnist wrote in his Daily Briefing.

“So, although there have also been stories about Liverpool enquiring about Eintracht’s talented Ecuador defender Willian Pacho, along with Arsenal, I have no concrete updates about specific clubs.

“It’s true that Pacho has a price tag of around €50-60m and it looks like an open race for his signature this summer. I’m told nothing is at concrete or advanced stages with English clubs.”

Jurgen Klopp’s men are understood to be keen on the idea of bolstering their backline this summer. This will sharpen into focus should the German’s replacement opt for a back-three formation.

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What do the stats say about Pacho?

The 22-year-old centre-half is, it’s worth noting from the off, a left-sided option in the backline.

It’s something we very much crave given the lack of cover for Virgil van Dijk in the Liverpool back four.

The Ecuadorian boasts some pretty impressive defensive metrics for Frankfurt, registering in the 80s of percentiles for tackles, interceptions, blocks and clearances, according to FBref.

One major point of concern we have is Pacho’s passing ability, with his average pass completion rate per 90 of 84.4% putting him in the 39th percentile amongst his positional peers in Europe.

Van Dijk, by contrast, is in the 92nd percentile for pass completion (91.8% per 90).

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According to leading German football reporter Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool have a young Bundesliga defender in their sights for the summer transfer window.

The journalist took to X on Monday evening to share the news that the Reds and Arsenal both have Eintracht Frankfurt centre-back Willian Pacho on their ‘shortlist’.

The Premier League duo have both communicated their interest to SGE, who value the 22-year-old at €60m (£51.3m) and currently have him under contract to 2028.

Plettenberg described the Ecuador international as a ‘top player’ and ‘one to watch’ ahead of the summer market.

News #Pacho: The 22 y/o central defender from Eintracht Frankfurt is on the shortlist of @Arsenal and @LFC!

Eintracht bosses informed about it

Eintracht demand around €60m in summer – as first via @lukdombro.

Contract is valid until 2028. Top player and one to… pic.twitter.com/JX4NBUDfgq

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) March 11, 2024

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Pacho is a defender who excels in the more ‘traditional’ aspects of his position, doing whatever it takes to snuff out danger for his team first and foremost.

He’s averaged more clearances per game this season (4.6) than any Liverpool player, while only two men at Anfield can better his tackling average of 2.1 per match (WhoScored).

He also features among the top 14% of centre-backs in Europe’s five main leagues over the past year for tackles, blocks and clearances per 90 minutes (FBref).

There could be an opening for a central defender in the Reds’ squad this summer if Joel Matip’s contract isn’t renewed, although the emergence of Jarell Quansah may have already ticked that box.

Liverpool’s transfer strategy won’t become fully clear until the sporting director and manager roles are sorted for June onwards, but let’s see if anything more comes from the links to Pacho in the meantime.

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