Liverpool Transfer News: Shkodran Mustafi Talks Set Amid Neven Subotic Rumours

Liverpool are reportedly eyeing a move for Valencia centre-back Shkodran Mustafi and are sending an official to Spain to thrash out a deal this weekend.

Superdeporte journalist Dani Merono told Radio Esport Valencia (via the Express' James Cambridge) that the 24-year-old German is a key target for Reds manager Jurgen Klopp: "Liverpool will come this Sunday to see a player at VCF, for Mustafi. They will negotiate because they want to sign him."

Meanwhile, the German manager is also reportedly targeting Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic, a player Klopp took to Dortmund when he was in charge at Signal Iduna Park in 2008, per German outlet Revier Sport (via the Daily Star's Marc Williams).

According to Bundesliga expert Alex Chaffer, it is looking likely that the 27-year-old Serbian will join fellow centre-back Joel Matip at Liverpool in the summer with the Cameroon international having already agreed to move to Anfield from Schalke:

Klopp is clearly planning a major overhaul of his defence in the summer, a smart move as Liverpool have been weak at the back for some time now.

They have conceded 45 goals in 34 Premier League matches so far this season—the worst defensive record in the top eight—after allowing 48 goals in 2014-15 and 50 in 2013-14.

Mamadou Sakho's future has been thrown into major doubt recently after he failed a drug test, while Martin Skrtel, 31, is reportedly "weighing up" a potential summer exit after dropping down the pecking order, per ESPN's Peter O'Rourke. 

Furthermore, 35-year-old Kolo Toure is no longer a consistently reliable option, while Dejan Lovren, though recently improved, is still prone to errors.

Per Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe, Matip's addition is already a step in the right direction:

And the recruitment of either or both Mustafi and Subotic would go even further in making Liverpool more solid at the back.

Mustafi is already a World Cup winner (with Germany in 2014), and he has been a key part of Valencia's defence this season, recently proving that he has what it takes to perform even against the best teams in the world, per Squawka:

He is a strong tackler who's also good in the air, and at 24, he could potentially partner with Matip, also 24, for the better part of the next decade in the centre of the Liverpool defence. 

Subotic would add the experience that would be lacking if Sakho and Skrtel were unavailable.

Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images

He was a brilliant player for Klopp at Dortmund, and although he has fallen down the pecking order somewhat under Thomas Tuchel, he is still a top-quality defender who would be an improvement over Toure, Skrtel and Lovren.

In their most recent outing, Liverpool let a 2-0 lead become a 2-2 draw with Newcastle United, and the tally of points they have lost this season from winning positions in the Premier League now stands at 19, which is more than any other side, per Goal's Melissa Reddy.

Changes need to made to the Reds' back line, and Klopp seemingly has a number of targets already in his sights.