Liverpool handed small window to sign £26m La Liga centre-back before Real Madrid come calling

Liverpool’s transfer focus looks set to fall on two areas for the remainder of the summer window.The Reds have been unusually busy so far in June, signing Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, with Milos Kerkez soon to follow.But while those three additions represent key improvements in the Liverpool squad, there is still room for more to be added.Who arrives as Arne Slot’s new number nine will generate the most excitement amongst supporters, but it is equally important that Liverpool sign a new centre-back.With Jarell Quansah set to leave for Bayer Leverkusen, Slot has only three senior central defenders heading into the new season.Liverpool are looking to the transfer market for a solution, and as they consider their options, a window of opportunity has opened for a deal to be struck over Valencia’s Cristhian Mosquera.Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty ImagesLiverpool handed Cristhian Mosquera opportunityAs well as replacing Quansah, Liverpool may have to find a successor for Ibrahima Konate over the next 12 months.Before that, though, bringing a new third or fourth choice centre-back in should be the priority. And there are numerous options out there.As Rousing The Kop exclusively revealed last year, Mosquera is one of those to have been watched by Liverpool in recent times.The 20-year-old had another good season at Valencia and has just announced himself to a wider audience during the Euro U21s Championship with Spain.READ MORE: Liverpool’s Milos Kerkez signing hits ‘technical’ issue as announcement delay explained🔴 Trotz mündlicher Einigung mit Mosquera: RB Leipzig nimmt Abstand von einem möglichen Transfer des Innenverteidigers, da man sich mit Valencia nicht einigen konnte. Preis wurde auch wegen der U21-EM in die Höhe getrieben. Gibt weitere Interessenten. Leipzig derzeit nicht… pic.twitter.com/IH62vv15RT— Philipp Hinze (@philipphinze24) June 25, 2025 View Tweet Following some impressive displays in Slovakia, it had appeared probable that Mosquera was on his way to RB Leipzig, with the German club said to have agreed personal terms over a transfer.However, as both Kicker and journalist Philipp Hinze reported on Wednesday, the deal is now off. Leipzig are reportedly unwilling to meet Valencia’s new asking price of around £26m for Mosquera, with the fee said to have been increased following his performances at the Euros.With Leipzig out of the picture, Liverpool have a window of opportunity to move to the front of the queue on this talented centre-back before Real Madrid muscle their way in.Real Madrid eyeing Mosquera dealIf Leipzig’s decision to walk away from Mosquera has alerted Liverpool, then it appears to have also whet the appetite in Madrid.As Liverpool know all too well, Los Blancos love a free signing and, predictably, Marca report they are interested in bringing Mosquera to the Santiago Bernabeu once his contract expires in 2026.Real have reportedly been watching the Valencia man with interest this summer and are positioning themselves for another free signing next year as a result.Should Liverpool allow Mosquera to go into the final year of his contract, it seems fairly inevitable that he’ll end up joining Trent Alexander-Arnold, and perhaps even Konate, at Real Madrid.But the Reds still have a chance to prevent that from happening. £26m is not ideal for a young defender with one year left on his contract, but on this occasion, we think it’s worth Liverpool stepping in.