5 centre-backs Liverpool could target this summer to partner Virgil van Dijk

#2 Kalidou Koulibaly

Kalidou Koulibaly has all the ingredients to be a perfect partner for van Dijk.

Surrounded by tireless transfer speculation all through last summer's window, Napoli somehow managed to keep hold of their star man in defence.

This season, they are playing some excellent football and are just two points behind reigning champions Juventus in the Serie A table. Though their attack is grabbing headlines, they are equally impressive on the defensive end too - they have only conceded 19 goals in 29 league matches, the league's second best defensive record.

Koulibaly is a quick, tall and strong defender, one who is comfortable with the ball at his feet and has an excellent passing range too. This season, he has completed more than 2,500 passes with an impressive accuracy rate of 91.6%. With 31 interceptions and 48 tackles completed in the league alone, he continues to excel as Napoli have flourished under Maurizio Sarri recently.

He wouldn't be cheap by any means, and there are some big clubs equally vying for his signature, but would be a fantastic addition to Liverpool's backline if they were to sign him.