Liverpool have reportedly requested transfer information for Stuttgart defender and captain Waldemar Anton, as they look to bring in a suitable replacement for Joel Matip this summer.
The 27-year-old German took over the captain's armband from Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo after the latter made the move from the Bundesliga to the Premier League last season.
During the 2023-24 season, former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp faced significant selection challenges due to injuries to Matip, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez at various points during the campaign.
While the emergence of Jarell Quansah helped alleviate some of those difficulties, additional reinforcements in central defence will be necessary for the Reds next season, especially with Matip leaving the club this summer.
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Liverpool add Waldemar Anton to shortlist of defensive transfer targets
Liverpool have been linked to several defensive players in recent weeks, including the likes of Goncalo Inacio, Ousmane Diomande and Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie.
Now, according to Bild, the Reds have added Anton to their list of potential defensive candidates, and have signalled their interest by 'requesting transfer information' about the Stuttgart centre-back.
The report adds that the 27-year-old's contract at the MHPArena runs until the summer of 2027 and contains a release clause of £19m.
Anton excelled in his fourth season with Stuttgart last term, playing a key role in defence for Sebastian Hoeness's side that finished as Bundesliga runners-up. Only Leverkusen had a better defensive record than Stuttgart.
It is understood that Anton has also been on the radar of the German top-flight title winners, as well as Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund.
Throughout his outstanding 2023-24 league campaign, Anton missed only one game in the German top flight.
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Anton among Europe's top-performing defenders
Anton's relentless work rate places him among the Bundesliga's top performers in distance covered on the pitch.
Additionally, his positive approach is evident in his average of 5.36 progressive passes, 1.19 progressive carries and 0.47 successful take-ons per game, ranking him in the top 13% of centre-backs across Europe's five major leagues over the past year across those categories.
The 27-year-old's impressive stats last season have also earned him a place in Julian Nagelsmann's Germany squad for Euro 2024 despite only playing a single minute for Die Mannschaft before the start of this month.
While Anton will be hoping to make his mark for the national team, who are set to take on Scotland on Friday night, he faces strong competition to get into the starting 11 above the likes of Antonio Rudiger, Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck.
The German international came through the ranks at Hannover's academy and accumulated over 130 appearances for his boyhood club before securing a move to Stuttgart in 2020.
Devesh Jaganath
