Liverpool are reportedly locked in a two-way battle with Aston Villa to sign Villarreal left-back Sergi Cardona in the summer transfer window.
The Reds have achieved astounding success with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson bombing down the flanks in the past several years, but Arne Slot is facing the prospect of having neither man at his disposal next season.
Real Madrid-linked Alexander-Arnold is yet to sign an extension to his current contract, which expires in June, while Robertson can leave for free in 2026 and is reportedly set to hold crunch talks over his future at Anfield this summer.
Slot is said to be keen to keep the Scotland international at the club for one more season, but Robertson is now in his 30s and has come under fire for a perceived decline in performance during the 2024-25 season.
As such, even if Robertson - and his backup Kostas Tsimikas - remain at the club for the new campaign, Liverpool are expected to enter the market for a long-term successor to the former.
Liverpool 'send scouts' to watch Villarreal's Cardona
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According to BirminghamLive, Villarreal 25-year-old Cardona is the latest player to catch the eye of the Reds, who have been sending scouts to keep tabs on the defender's displays in his homeland.
Cardona joined the Yellow Submarine on a free transfer from Las Palmas last summer and has taken no time at all to adapt to the Villarreal system, registering one goal and six assists from 26 La Liga games this season.
The Spaniard was apparently scouted by both Liverpool and Villa in recent clashes with Rayo Vallecano and Alaves, and he only signed a three-year deal upon his arrival at La Ceramica last summer.
As a result, Villarreal will reportedly not turn their nose up to bids in the range of €15m (£12.6m) and €20m (£16.8m) in the summer window, even though they are actively working to extend Cardona's contract.
Which other left-backs are Liverpool targeting?
© Imago
While Liverpool and Aston Villa may both be able to offer Cardona Champions League football next season, Unai Emery's side could have the upper hand in the race to sign the 6ft 1in full-back.
Villa and Villarreal are of course connected by Emery, as well as Pau Torres - whom the Lions signed from the Yellow Submarine in 2023 - while sporting director Monchi has close contacts in the La Liga market from his time with Sevilla.
Liverpool are not short of alternative targets, though, and it has been claimed that Slot's side are already close to winning the race for Bournemouth and Hungary left-back Milos Kerkez.
Should that move fall through, Wolverhampton Wanderers' Rayan Ait-Nouri is another potential option for the Reds, and they have reportedly learned what it will take to prise him away from Molineux this summer.
Fulham's Antonee Robinson has also been mentioned as a possible target, but the American recently played down links with a summer switch to Anfield.
Ben Knapton
