Liverpool Targets Rațiu for Right-Back Revamp
Liverpool’s reshaping of their defence is set to continue with a move for Rayo Vallecano full-back Andrei Rațiu, as the club prepare an opening bid for one of La Liga’s most under-the-radar performers.
Andoni Iraola, already backed to bring in Victor Munoz from Osasuna, is ready to return to the Spanish market to address a position that badly undermined Liverpool’s campaign last season.
A new challenger at right-back
On paper, Liverpool look stocked at right-back with Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley. In reality, the picture is far less secure.
Frimpong is still expected to start next season as first-choice, but Iraola wants genuine jeopardy around that role, not a token understudy. Rațiu has been identified as the man to bring that edge, with the Liverpool manager convinced the Romanian can step straight into Premier League intensity.
Rațiu, 28, has quietly built a formidable résumé in Spain. Since joining Rayo Vallecano three years ago, he has amassed 102 appearances in the top flight and earned a reputation as one of the division’s most overlooked defenders. His consistency has not gone unnoticed in his homeland either: he has 38 caps for Romania and has previously been named Romanian Footballer of the Year.
His standing at Rayo rose further this year as he played a key role in their run to the UEFA Conference League final, where they fell short against Crystal Palace. It was the kind of European stage that tends to attract English eyes. Liverpool were watching.
What the move would mean for academy graduate Bradley is unclear. The 20-year-old remains highly regarded at Anfield, but the pursuit of Rațiu underlines how ruthless Liverpool intend to be in fixing a position that cost them both balance and points.
Price, power and a tricky negotiation
This will not be a bargain hunt.
Vallecano, in a strong negotiating position, are understood to be seeking around £25 million for Rațiu. The defender only signed a new long-term contract in November 2025, tying him to the club for another four years, and the Spanish side see no need to fold early.
Iraola, though, is said to view Rațiu as excellent value in the current market: a seasoned international, proven in a major European league, yet still with the engine to play regularly in a high-intensity system.
Liverpool, for their part, are confident they can find a way through. One route on the table is a structured deal built around add-ons, with performance-related bonuses designed to tempt Vallecano without smashing Liverpool’s wage and fee hierarchy.
If they land him, Rațiu would not arrive as a squad ornament. The expectation is regular minutes, real competition, and a clear pathway into Iraola’s core group.
Fixing last season’s fault line
The urgency is rooted in painful recent experience.
Liverpool never truly recovered from losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid on a free after his contract expired. Arne Slot, already dealing with transition, then saw both Frimpong and Bradley suffer injuries at key stages. The right side of the defence became a revolving door.
The solutions were makeshift and costly. Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai were both pushed into auxiliary right-back roles. It plugged one hole and opened another. Liverpool’s midfield lost two of its main options, and the side’s structure frayed as the season began to unravel.
It is no coincidence that Iraola has made right-back a priority in his first summer at Anfield. This is not just about depth; it is about preventing a repeat of a tactical compromise that dragged the entire team off course.
Jacquet and Leoni boost defensive rebuild
Rațiu would be part of a wider defensive reset already in motion.
Liverpool are set to confirm another major arrival next week when Jeremy Jacquet completes his £55 million move from Rennes. The French defender agreed the transfer on winter deadline day, with all parties deciding he would finish the season in Ligue 1 before crossing to the Premier League.
There was a scare soon after. Jacquet suffered a serious shoulder injury following the announcement of his impending move, casting doubt over his involvement in pre-season. The latest updates are positive: his rehabilitation is on schedule, and he is expected to be available for initial pre-season testing early next month.
He will not be alone. Fellow centre-back Giovanni Leoni, 19, is also on track to return in time for the start of pre-season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup last September. He has not played since, but his recovery is progressing as planned.
Two young centre-backs returning to fitness, a marquee defensive signing about to walk through the door, and now a push for one of La Liga’s most reliable right-backs.
Liverpool are not just patching holes this summer. They are rebuilding the back line with intent. The next question is simple: will Rațiu be the final piece on the right, or the start of an even more ruthless defensive overhaul?
