Andoni Iraola is IN to replace Arne Slot as Liverpool head coach.
The Dutchman, 47, did not survive his end-of-season review under Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes - paying the price for an underwhelming campaign.
Iraola takes over after three very successful seasons at Bournemouth - leading the Cherries into Europe for the first time ever. Now the Basque tactico is setting about making changes to his Liverpool squad alongside sporting director Richard Hughes.
Victor Munoz - a 22-year-old Spain winger - has been recruited from Osasuna for €40m with Iraola playing a big part in bringing forward his signing. And now another report in Spain has claimed to identify Iraola’s preferred candidate to arrive at centre-back.
The outgoing Premier League champions are in need of reinforcements in the centre of defence. Ibrahima Konate has signed for Real Madrid on a free transfer while Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are out of contract in 2027.
Although plenty of recruitment has been done at centre-back over the last year or so - including Giovanni Leoni, Mor Talla Ndiaye, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Jeremy Jacquet - the Anfield club will require senior reinforcements who fit the bill.
A report in Fichajes states that Iraola sees Ecuadorian defender Joel Ordonez as the ideal acquisition in the summer transfer window.
Liverpool are reported to have come very close to adding the Club Brugge defender to their squad during the winter but the trail went cold right at the last minute.
But it looks like the Reds under Iraola are going to come back for the 22-year-old - who is currently making waves with his national team at the FIFA World Cup.
Ordonez - under contract until 2029 - is an aggressive, front-footed defender who can also fit in at right-back.
“Joel Ordóñez has emerged as one of the most sought-after names at Anfield to bolster their defense,” the report reads.
“The 22-year-old Ecuadorian center-back from Club Brugge has caught Liverpool's eye following Andoni Iraola's arrival as manager.”
Brugge will be pretty relaxed about Ordonez considering the duration of his contract - and have reportedly placed a €50m (£43m) price tag on their star turn.
There are several other names in the frame for a Liverpool arrival this summer - including Alessandro Bastoni and Nico Schlotterbeck - but perhaps Ordonez at this stage is the most achievable of those targets named.
Joel Ordóñez is a 22-year-old Ecuadorian right-sided centre-back (1.88m) at Club Brugge, a product of Independiente del Valle’s talent factory and now a full international with over 100 senior appearances in Belgium by his early 20s.
He profiles as a modern athletic stopper: long-limbed, quick across the ground, strong in duels and dominant in the air, with high defensive duel and pass-completion numbers underpinning a low-error, risk-averse game on the ball.
Under contract at Brugge to 2028–29 after a recent renewal, he is protected by a long deal but sits firmly in “next to go” territory, with Belgian and South American reports suggesting an asking price in the 35–45m range and concrete Premier League interest, including Liverpool and Crystal Palace, plus previous advanced talks with Marseille.
The likeliest medium-term move is a step into the Premier League as a project signing for a high-press, high-line side that values aggressive front-foot defending and aerial presence, with England now strongly framed as his preferred next destination.
