Liverpool set to complete stunning £43 million move for “outstanding young defender” as first January signing

Ecuador's Joel Ordonez in action with Peru's Kevin Quevedo. (REUTERS/Sebastian Castaneda)

Liverpool’s season has quietly begun to stabilise after what was, by recent standards, a disastrous opening stretch.

A run that saw the Reds lose nine of 12 matches across all competitions — their worst sequence over such a span since the winter of 1953–54 — threatened to derail Arne Slot’s first campaign before it had truly begun.

Since then, however, the picture has improved markedly. Liverpool are now unbeaten in eight games, have climbed back into fourth place in the Premier League, and looked far more convincing in Europe after a confidence-boosting Champions League win over Inter Milan.

That said, performances have not always matched results, and recurring injury issues — particularly in defence — continue to expose a lack of depth.

With the January transfer window viewed internally as crucial, Liverpool now appear ready to act, with a deal for their first signing of the winter edging closer.

Liverpool are closing in on the signing of Club Brugge centre-back Joel Ordonez after Chelsea withdrew from the race, according to The Mirror.

The Reds are expected to pay up to £43 million for the highly rated Ecuadorian, with an initial fee in the region of £35 million and performance-related add-ons potentially taking the total package, which will see Ordonez triple his wages, higher. Slot is keen to reinforce the heart of his defence, and Ordonez has emerged as a priority target after Liverpool’s failed late move for Marc Guéhi last summer.

Defensive uncertainty has only grown in recent weeks. Ibrahima Konaté is now free to negotiate with overseas clubs ahead of his contract expiring at the end of the season, adding urgency to Liverpool’s recruitment plans.

Ordonez’s rise has been rapid. After developing at Independiente del Valle, he moved to Club NXT in 2022 before earning a switch to Club Brugge a year later. Since then, the 21-year-old has amassed over 100 appearances for the Belgian champions and has featured regularly this season as Brugge push near the top of the Jupiler Pro League.

With Brugge boasting one of the league’s strongest defensive records and Ordonez, described as an “outstanding young defender,” Liverpool believe he could provide an immediate boost — and a long-term solution — to a back line that has looked increasingly fragile in recent months.

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.