According to reports, Jurgen Klopp is still trying to find a center-back this summer.

Jurgen Klopp is still hoping to bolster his squad before the summer transfer window closes as Liverpool aims to return to the top four of the Premier League right away this year.

Only Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have played for the Reds’ first team thus far; Wataru Endo will join them this week.

They appear to be concentrating on a Ligue 1 defender right now.

What has changed since Arthur Theate’s trip to Liverpool?

Liverpool is reportedly interested in signing Stade Rennais defender Arthur Theate this summer as they search for another center-back, according to L’Équipe via Get Football News France.

However, Fulham, another Premier League team, is also interested in bringing the Ligue 1 player to Merseyside in the upcoming weeks.

It is unclear if Theate would be able to leave Rennes so quickly given that he only signed with the French club last summer, joining for a reported €19 million (£16 million) from Bologna.

Transfermarkt estimates that the Belgian’s current value is just €22 million (£19 million), making a move more than doable should Liverpool pursue their interest.

Liverpool are undoubtedly a team to watch with just under two weeks left in the summer window.

Arthur Theate should Liverpool sign him?

Theate would be a wise business move for Liverpool given that Joel Matip is entering the final year of his Liverpool contract. The 23-year-old is a much more youthful choice than Matip, who is 32, giving the Reds a man with lots of room to develop and eventually strengthen their team.

Matip’s age and Joe Gomez’s injury problems make it look as though Klopp must sign a center defender this summer. In the last three seasons, the England international has missed 44 games, making him an uncertain option at Anfield.

However, Theate, who has gotten a lot of praise throughout his very short career, particularly from Serie A expert Conor Clancy, could benefit from Gomez’s ongoing absence.

He treats defending almost like a throwback, Clancy said on Football FanCast last summer. He can be a little bit aggressive and in your face, so I wouldn’t be shocked if he bit someone.

He’s just an ugly defender, and you wouldn’t want to play against him because he may smack you. However, he can play when he also possesses the ball. In that manner, he’s a hybrid of a modern and an old-school defender, and I enjoy that about him.

The Rennes man actually did better than Gomez in some areas during the previous campaign, statistically speaking.

Theate outperformed the current Liverpool player last season in terms of progressive passes, carries, pass completion percentage, and clearances, according to FBref.

Although the Reds haven’t yet made any progress in their pursuit of the Belgian, if a Rennes transfer does materialize, it might make for an intriguing conclusion to the transfer season for Theate.