Liverpool’s defensive future is entering a decisive period, with Virgil van Dijk’s contract set to expire at the end of the season and Ronald Araujo currently at the club only on loan. Yet the latest January transfer speculation does not concern a defender: Liverpool are reportedly leading the race for Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, who could cost around £100 million.

The Reds’ backline does face uncertainty. Van Dijk is out of contract next summer, while Joe Gomez’s deal also expires at the end of the season. Liverpool signed Araujo on a season-long loan from Barcelona after defensive injuries, with an option to make the move permanent for approximately £47 million next summer.

Araujo has made a strong early impression under Andoni Iraola, but his agent, Edoardo Crnjar, dismissed suggestions that Liverpool had already changed their position on a permanent transfer. He said reports claiming the club was reconsidering its plans were “unfounded rumours,” while acknowledging that the Uruguayan is happy at Anfield and that the purchase option remains in place.

The £100 million player linked with a January move is Alex Scott, the 23-year-old Bournemouth and England midfielder—not a defender. Reports say Bournemouth would consider selling him in January only for an offer above £100 million and only if their Premier League survival looks secure. Liverpool are reported to be in a strong position because of Iraola’s prior relationship with Scott from their time together at Bournemouth.

Scott is currently sidelined after sustaining an injury on his full England debut, and any January deal would represent a major financial commitment for a player with around 20 months remaining on his Bournemouth contract. Some Liverpool sources have also expressed surprise that the club would act so quickly in January, suggesting the £100 million valuation could be a major obstacle.

For Liverpool, the broader issue remains squad planning. Van Dijk’s eventual departure would be a seismic loss, Araujo’s future is unresolved, and long-term injuries to Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley have already stretched the defensive group. Those factors make defensive recruitment a logical priority, but the current high-profile January link is firmly to a midfielder rather than a defender.

Any move for Scott would therefore be about strengthening Liverpool’s midfield under Iraola, not directly solving the club’s defensive question. Whether Liverpool are willing to meet Bournemouth’s valuation remains uncertain, and reports suggest the club may prefer to wait rather than commit a nine-figure fee in January.