Arne Slot Targets Sam Beukema as Liverpool Plan Centre-Back Move

Liverpool are keeping close tabs on sam beukema ahead of the summer window, with Arne Slot wanting the Napoli centre-back as part of the club’s search for defensive depth. Napoli would only listen to offers above £30million, so any move would need serious outlay.

Slot’s Beukema link

Slot’s interest is not new. He tried to sign Beukema from Go Ahead Eagles while he was at Feyenoord, and he has now taken that view into Liverpool’s recruitment discussion with sporting director Richard Hughes.

Beukema is one of several centre-back options under review, but he has a clear case built on game time and level. The 25-year-old made 30 appearances across all competitions for Napoli this season and also featured in the Champions League.

Napoli’s price point

That record comes with a complication. Beukema is tied to Napoli until 2030, and the Italian club would only consider bids in excess of £30million. For Liverpool, that means any move has to fit both their valuation and the wider defensive plan.

The shortlist matters because Liverpool are still trying to agree a new contract with Ibrahima Konate, whose current deal expires at the end of the season. They have already struck a broad agreement on salary terms with him, which keeps the central issue focused on finalising the contract rather than replacing him outright.

Liverpool’s centre-back picture

The wider picture is already crowded with moving parts. Jeremy Jacquet is arriving from Rennes in the summer, Giovani Leoni is recovering from a torn ACL and should be back for pre-season, and Virgil van Dijk is 34 years old.

For Liverpool, Beukema sits inside a defensive build rather than a standalone chase. The club want more centre-back cover for next term, and Slot’s backing gives the Napoli defender a direct route into a decision that now turns on price, timing and how the rest of the summer shapes up.