EXCLUSIVE: The lowdown on Castello Lukeba as £75m defender eyes "mega" Liverpool transfer

Liverpool will soon require additional signings at centre-back. Virgil van Dijk, 33, is out of contract at the end of the season and Ibrahima Konate has recently been subject to transfer rumours from Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.

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Reserve centre-backs Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez, meanwhile, could also be on their way out of the club this summer. Several top names have been linked with a move to Anfield with Castello Lukeba one of the most recent candidates.

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The RB Leipzig centre-back is eyeing a “mega transfer” this summer, according to Sport Bild, with Liverpool contenders for the €75m-rated 22-year-old.

Anfield Watch spoke to Bundesliga expert Ronan Murphy of Football Transfers to get the lowdown on Lukeba.

Has he been a capable replacement for Josko Gvardiol, who joined Manchester City in the same summer Lukeba joined?

RB Leipzig has been a conveyor belt for young defensive talent, so replacing Gvardiol was never going to be problem for the club. They are always on the lookout for the next young star, developing them and selling them for a big profit.

As well as Gvardiol, they’ve used this approach for the likes of Upamecano, Mohamed Simakan, and of course Konate.

What attracted Leipzig scouts to him in the first place?

Lukeba was a defensive wall at Lyon, so he seemed an obvious signing for Leipzig. He was just 20 but led Ligue 1 in interceptions per game, and also boasted a huge passing accuracy, ideal for a team like Leipzig who play a vertical style of football and need quick, technical defenders.

What are his key strengths?

Lukeba has an excellent left foot, which makes him much more desirable, especially as he has shown his strengths in both a back three and back four, with his positioning and reading of the game helping cut out dangerous attacks.

He is excellent on and off the ball, and would slot into most team’s defences.

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Are there any areas he still needs to work on?

Lukeba’s weakest area is definitely in the air. He sometimes gets beaten in aerial duels and this is one area of his game that he will have to improve if he moved to the Premier League.

The Bundesliga tends to be more pace-based with counter-attacking football and high lines commonplace. English football would be more physical and he would have to adapt to it.

Liverpool might require a left-side centre-back to replace Van Dijk, does he tick these boxes?

It’s obviously impossible to replace Van Dijk, but Lukeba would be a worthy successor if he can improve his aerial game. Few defenders are as dominant as Van Dijk, but Lukeba has the raw tools to be able to form a Van Dijk succession plan.

Who among the Liverpool squad is he most like?

The obvious comparison is Konate as they were both raised in the RB model, which has produced some of the finest defenders in Europe’s top leagues. There is no reason to think that Lukeba can’t reach the same heights as Konate or Gvardiol.

He moved for over £30m and reportedly has a release clause of around £75m (€90m), what kind of price do you see him moving for?

RB Leipzig has traditionally been a selling club, so every player has a price there, and no player has yet cost £100m. A fee of £60m would see Leipzig double their investment but also become one of their three most expensive departures.

How versatile is he, can he play left-back or in a back three?

Lukeba is very much a central defender. He plays in a back four or back three at Leipzig, but always as a centre-back. He has never started a senior professional game at left-back so it seems unlikely that he will ever be anything other than a central defender.

Was the plan always to sell him on for a profit?

The plan for everyone at RB Leipzig is to sell for profit. Even Xavi Simons who became their record transfer in the winter window will be sold for profit, probably even as soon as this summer.

RB Leipzig is a business as well as a football club. And success in the spreadsheets is just as important to them as success on the football field.

Is he now good enough to replace Van Dijk?

Obviously, nobody is good enough to replace Van Dijk. But of the players available to eventually step into his shoes, Lukeba has shown many of the requirements needed for the next man up.

How has he fared in his biggest challenges - for example Champions League matches, finals and versus Bayern?

Lukeba is an Olympic silver medalist with France as well as a German Supercup winner with RB Leipzig. The Supercup was Harry Kane’s debut for Bayern and the Bavarians kept the Kane curse alive with a shock 3-0 win in Munich.

Unfortunately, Lukeba watched the entire game from the bench. So he has yet to be tested in club finals, while Leipzig’s Champions League campaign this season was a disaster.

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Lukeba lost every game he started, but Leipzig were lacking in attack rather in defence in the competition and none of the blame can fall on his shoulders. In the 1-0 defeat to Liverpool, Lukeba made some excellent clearances and proved himself against his potential future team-mates.

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