Liverpool become latest team ready to pile more misery on Crystal Palace as Reds eye 28-year-old star

Liverpool have identified Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen as the player to strengthen their defence ahead of the 2024/2025 Premier League season. Andersen captained the Eagles to a 1-0 victory over Liverpool last season and impressed many at Anfield as the Eagles dominated the rest and deservedly away from home. The former Fulham man has been impressive since he joined the Eagles three seasons ago yet his name is barely mentioned Premier League top defenders are being discussed.

According to a report in the Brazilian newspaper Trivela, the Danish defender is high on the list of players that new Liverpool manager Arne Slot is targeting as a long-term replacement for Virgil van Dijk. The 28-year-old is the latest player to be linked with an exit from South London, following Michael Olise’s big-money move to Bayern Munich this summer. England defender Marc Guehi, who has captained Palace on several occasions and was one of England’s standout players in the recent Euros, is also reportedly close to a record-breaking move to Newcastle, according to English media.

Additionally, Eberechi Eze, the creative force in the Palace midfield, is being linked with both Tottenham and Arsenal. Losing all four of these key players from last season would be a devastating blow to the Eagles.

Crystal Palace was one of the most in-form teams as the season ended, winning five of their last six games and finishing in an impressive 10th place, ahead of Brighton, who had dominated them in the previous five seasons.

The expectation was that they would build on that momentum, but with other teams raiding their squad, manager Oliver Glasner may need to consider rebuilding if he hopes to build on their strong finish and contend for a European spot next season.