Ten potential replacements for Liverpool right-back Glen Johnson…
The future of Liverpool defender Glen Johnson, whose contract with the club expires at the end of the current campaign, is looking increasingly uncertain as he struggles to prove his form and fitness.
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According to reports in the Guardian, Johnson has indicated that he is approaching the end of his Reds career, having admitted that talks on a contract extension at Anfield have fallen “very quiet”.
The 30-year-old will is able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club from January, having so far resisted the offer of a 12-month extension to his £120,000-a-week deal from Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group.
But fear not, here are ten possible long-term replacements the club could consider:
10) Sebastien Corchia (Lille)
Liverpool have set up a good relationship with the French side after their purchase and subsequent loan of Divock Origi. Could they swoop for the 23-year-old defender, who only joined from Sochaux this summer.
9) Sebastian Jung (Wolfsburg)
The German side boast two very promising full-backs, with Switzerland’s Ricardo Rodriguez playing on the opposite side. The 24-year-old only joined from Eintracht Frankfurt this summer, and is also a German international.
8) Danilo (Porto)
Porto have a habit of producing exceptionally talented players. A seven-time Brazilian international, he joined the club from Santos in 2012, and has since become a regular in the team despite still being only 23.
7) Oscar de Marcos (Athletic Bilbao)
The 25-year-old Spanish youth international has already played well in excess of 100 La Liga matches for Bilbao, and is closing in on the peak years of his career. He scored twice against Manchester United in 2012.
6) Coke (Sevilla)
The wonderfully named defender joined Sevilla from Rayo Vallecano in 2011. Now 27-years-old, he was integral part of last year’s Europa League winning side, where he played opposite the current Liverpool defender, Alberto Moreno.
5) Javier Manquillo (Liverpool)
The 20-year-old signed a two-year loan deal with the Reds from Atletico Madrid in the summer, and has already impressed with his maturing performances. There is little to suggest he cannot continue to be a fixture in the Liverpool team.
4) Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid)
As with any Real Madrid player, the 22-year-old faces a constant battle to hold down his place in the first team. Could Liverpool take advantage of that fact and lure the one-time Spanish international to the Premier League.
3) Jon Flanagan (Liverpool)
The 21-year-old is a popular figure at Anfield having emerged from the club’s youth team ranks, he impressed at left back last season, but is by trade a right sided defender. The exit of Johnson could see the England international establish himself for both club and country.
2) Cedric Soares (Sporting Lisbon)
Having already given Eric Dier to Tottenham, another right back off the Sporting Lisbon conveyor-belt is 23-year-old Cedric, a highly experienced Portuguese youth international with a bright future ahead of him.
1) Mattia De Sciglio (AC Milan)
The 21-year-old is already an experienced Italian international, who has played at the World Cup, and experienced European competition with his club. But with Milan now struggling, could a move away be on the cards.
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