Liverpool are believed to be interested in completing the signing of highly-rated VfB Stuttgart centre-back Finn Jeltsch, with other top clubs also keen.

The Reds are assembling a hugely exciting group of young players, with the likes of Jeremy Jacquet and Rio Ngumoha potential generational talents, and the former being lauded by Virgil van Dijk earlier this season:

“I want him to keep working and keep learning. I am sure he will. There is obviously a lot of praise and rightly so, but I know how it works when you play a game not at the standards you have set. So let’s just stay calm, keep working, and try to stay important for us.

“It [the partnership] is still a work in progress. There are still things we can improve but you learn by playing games. I said at the start that you experience things in games and see how each other react to certain moments, and then you adapt to that.

“So far, it is good. He is 21 years old and very promising, but it is up to him to keep working hard and staying calm. It’s a big credit to him how he started his Liverpool career, but we are in September. Hopefully there are years of his Liverpool career left.”

It looks as though Liverpool have their eyes on another massive talent, with Spanish publication SPORT claiming that they have joined the race to sign Stuttgart star Jeltsch, whose current deal expires in the summer of 2030.

European giants Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan are all seen as options for the £42m-rated German defender, however, so it won’t be easy for the Reds to entice him to Anfield.

Finn Jeltsch an outstanding centre-back option for Liverpool

Jeltsch is a player with an enormous amount of potential, and is thought to be admired by former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, so he could be a great signing for the Reds.

At just 20 years of age, he has already made 60 appearances for Stuttgart, while at international level, he has been capped 43 times by Germany across five different age groups.

A call-up to Klopp’s senior setup feels imminent on his current trajectory, with Spencer Mossman saying this about Jeltsch: “Excellent ball carrier and ground duel winner, the initial makings of an elite outside CB.”

The time will come when Van Dijk has to be replaced – that hopefully isn’t for a few more years yet, given his superb current form – and in Jacquet and Leoni, Liverpool have two incredible young centre-backs at their disposal.

Signing Jeltsch as well would make plenty of sense, though, with Joe Gomez likely to depart at some point – possibly even at the end of this season – and the Reds not having much depth in that area.

To have the Stuttgart star as well as Jacquet and Leoni would put Liverpool in an enviable position, and while a more experienced head would also be required, they would be in good health at the heart of their defence for many years to come.