Report names Brazilian as Arne Slot's top transfer target this summer

With August fast approaching, Liverpool remain the only Premier League club yet to make a senior signing this summer.

However, the areas new boss Arne Slot would like to strengthen are no secret, and now, his top transfer target has emerged, according to reports.

Having meticulously assessed the squad, Slot and new sporting director Richard Hughes now have their sights on their first summer signing.

According to TEAMtalk, now that Copa America is over, Liverpool are in hot pursuit of Juventus defender Gleison Bremer.

Wataru Endo

Liverpool chasing Bremer

Slot is seeking to bolster his defensive options following the departure of Joel Matip, who left Anfield after his contract expired earlier this summer.

While Liverpool have been linked with several centre-backs, including Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi, Brazilian international Bremer has emerged as the leading candidate.

The 27-year-old has been a standout performer at Juventus since his transfer from Torino in the summer of 2022, making 83 appearances over the past two seasons. His consistent performances have earned him a place in the Serie A Team of the Year for three consecutive seasons, including his final year at Torino.

Despite Juventus’s desire to retain Bremer, with the defender under contract until 2028 and his release clause not activating until next summer, Liverpool are poised to challenge Juventus’s resolve with a substantial offer.

Competition for Konate

If the deal materialises, Bremer would likely become one of Liverpool’s most expensive defenders in history, though his fee is not expected to surpass the £75 million paid to Southampton for captain Virgil van Dijk in 2018.

However, it's anticipated that any transfer fee would exceed the £36 million spent to take Ibrahima Konate from Leipzig in 2021.

Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate

As a primarily right-sided centre-back, this means competition for the Frenchman, potentially placing Bremer alongside Van Dijk in Liverpool’s strongest starting lineup.

That said, Liverpool’s pursuit of a centre-back comes as Van Dijk enters the final year of his contract. Bremer, therefore, could also be viewed as the Dutchman's long-term successor.

At 27, just a year older than Van Dijk was when he joined Liverpool, Bremer is, in theory, in the prime of his career.