Liverpool massively underperformed last season.

They only managed to scrape a fifth-place finish in the Premier League which, just a season after winning it, was a huge fall from grace.

This forced fans to demand that change was made and, fortunately, they were listened to with three new players being brought in.

Advertisement

And, since there’s still a few weeks left of the summer window, plenty of changes could still be on their way to Anfield.

There are obviously specific areas among Liverpool’s ranks that need upgrading more than others, but the fact that fresh links with players are still emerging means that the Reds’ window is far from done yet.

Liverpool, Everton and Fulham All Pursuing Hector Fort from Barcelona

Liverpool’s injury issues last season caused a major problem for them.

When fit, their squad is fairly solid, but they struggled during a significant injury crisis in defense, leading to a situation where they were left short-handed.

Advertisement

This forced Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai needed to be used at right-back, and while both performed capably, it’s evident they are more comfortable in their natural positions.

Efforts to resolve this issue included bringing in Ronald Araujo and Jeremy Jacquet, but the inconsistency of Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez makes them unreliable options.

This situation has led to multiple defenders being linked with a move to Liverpool. According to a recent update from Spanish outlet Sport, Hector Fort of Barcelona is now being considered for a potential move by the Reds.

“From England, teams such as Everton, Fulham and even Liverpool have shown interest in Hector Fort. The ‘toffees’ could present the most attractive proposal for all parties,” they noted.

Advertisement

“In any case, it remains to be seen what formula will be chosen for the departure of Héctor Fort, who is under contract until 2029.”

“Last season, the full-back went on loan to Elche without an option for the club to buy him.”

“FC Barcelona’s sporting management has shifted its approach and now favors transfers that ensure the club retains a significant percentage of both the player’s rights and any future sale.”

Liverpool Seeks to Bolster Defensive Line

On paper, Liverpool has numerous options in defense.

However, considering the injury history of Araujo, Gomez and Bradley taken into account, it is apparent that none will likely be available consistently throughout the season.

Advertisement

The upcoming 2026-27 campaign might have been Gomez’s last opportunity to return to regular Premier League starting status.

However, after sustaining an injury within the first 20 minutes of Liverpool’s pre-season, he has been supplanted by Araujo.

One advantage of the Uruguayan is his ability to play as both a centre-back and a right-back.

That said, the lack of Premier League experience from Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni means Araujo will likely become Virgil van Dijk’s primary partner in defense.

Although this could evolve as the season progresses, it eliminates Araujo’s role as a right-back.

Advertisement

This scenario suggests that signing a player like Hector Fort would be a strategic move. At only 20 years old, Fort participated in 17 matches for La Liga side Elche last season, contributing to five goals, showcasing his capabilities.

Fort primarily plays as a right-back but also demonstrated versatility by being utilized as a left back last season.

While a transfer fee for Fort hasn’t been disclosed, securing the young defender would provide Liverpool with much-needed depth in their defensive lineup.

Liverpool massively underperformed last season.

They only managed to scrape a fifth-place finish in the Premier League which, just a season after winning it, was a huge fall from grace.

This forced fans to demand that change was made and, fortunately, they were listened to with three new players being brought in.

Advertisement

And, since there’s still a few weeks left of the summer window, plenty of changes could still be on their way to Anfield.

There are obviously specific areas among Liverpool’s ranks that need upgrading more than others but, the fact that fresh links with players are still emerging means that the Reds’ window is far from done yet.

Liverpool, Everton and Fulham all want to sign Hector Fort from Barcelona

Liverpool’s injury issues last season caused a major problem for them.

When fit, their squad is fairly solid but, since they went through a bit of an injury crisis in defence, they were left short-handed.

Advertisement

This meant that Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai needed to be used at right-back and, while they both performed well, it’s clear that they’re much more comfortable when used in their natural position.

Indeed, they’ve tried to rectify this issue by bringing in Ronald Araujo and Jeremy Jacquet but, with how unreliable Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez are, it’s kind of hard to count them as genuine options for Liverpool to use.

This has led to many defenders being linked with a Liverpool switch and now, thanks to an update from Spanish outlet Sport, Barcelona’s Hector Fort is being eyed for a potential move by the Reds.

“From England, teams such as Everton, Fulham and even Liverpool have shown interest in Hector Fort. The ‘toffees’ could present the most attractive proposal for all parties,” they wrote.

Advertisement

“In any case, it remains to be seen what formula will be chosen for the departure of Héctor Fort, who is under contract until 2029.

“Last season, the full-back went on loan to Elche without an option for the club to buy him.

“FC Barcelona’s sporting management has shifted its approach and now favors transfers that ensure the club retains a significant percentage of both the player’s rights and any future sale.”

Liverpool could really do with adding another defender to their ranks

On paper, Liverpool have many options in defence.

However, with the injury history of Araujo, Gomez and Bradley taken into account, it’s clear that none of them are going to be available for extended periods of the season.

Advertisement

The 2026-27 campaign was probably Gomez’s last chance of becoming a regular Premier League starter again.

But, since he got injured within the first 20 minutes of Liverpool’s pre-season, he’s now been replaced by Araujo.

One of the best things about the Uruguayan is that he can be played in centre-back or right-back.

However, the fact that Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni have never played a minute of Premier League football means that Araujo is probably going to be Virgil van Dijk’s main partner.

Of course, this could change as the season goes on but, this rules him out of playing as a right-back.

Advertisement

That’s why someone such as Hector Fort would be a smart addition. The Spaniard is only 20 years old and, last season he featured in 17 games across all competitions for La Liga side, Elche.

During that time, he also contributed to five goals which is fairly impressive.

His natural position is right-back but, last term, he was also used as a left back which proves how versatile he is.

A fee for Fort hasn’t been mentioned but, if Liverpool want to ensure that they have enough defensive options at their disposal, signing the 20-year-old would be a sure-fire way of confirming that.