Liverpool to rival Man United for defender named Young Player of the Year

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TBR Football understands that a number of Premier League clubs are looking closely at Dynamo Kyiv’s defensive starlet Taras Mykhavko.

The 20-year-old is a left-sided central defender who played a huge part in their Ukrainian title triumph last season. He was named the league’s Young Player of the Year, and his form is attracting interest from a number of sides from across Europe, particularly from England and Germany.

The recent success of the likes of Illia Zabarnyi, Yehor Yarmolyuk, and Vitaliy Mykolenko within the Premier League following their arrivals directly from Ukraine – has seen many clubs take an increasing interest in that talent pool.

And we can reveal that Mykhavko is one of the most scouted players in the last 12 months alongside his Dynamo team-mate Nazar Voloshyn.

In terms of the clubs looking closely at his progress, sources have told TBR Football they include Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Newcastle, Brentford, and Brighton. RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen are also among the clubs believed to be watching him.

Exclusive: Taras Mykhavko could be heading for the Premier League

Chief correspondent Graeme Bailey has exclusively revealed to TBR Football that a Premier League move for Mykhavko is appearing increasingly likely in the near future.

Bailey states: “Mykhavko is a top prospect, and a number of scouts have told me that they think he is ready to move now and could very well end up in the Premier League.

“English clubs are very impressed by how the Ukrainian lads settle. In recent years, the ones who have come straight from Eastern Europe have settled brilliantly, and that comes into play when you are looking at other leagues, as it is not always the case when players come into England.”

Mykhavko is yet to win a full cap for Ukraine, but he has been called up to the senior squad by Sergei Rebrov, and full international honours are not far away.

Giovanni Leoni sustained a season-ending injury on his debut for the Reds in the Carabao Cup win against Southampton after completing a £26 million move to Anfield via Parma this summer.

As previously revealed by TBR Football, Liverpool will move for Marc Guehi in the winter transfer window, with Arne Slot now left with only three senior options at centre-back.

Furthermore, the Reds’ ongoing negotiations with Ibrahima Konate about an extended deal have yet to break through, and the club could face a situation where they need to recruit several central defenders.

While Joe Gomez is expected to feature more prominently in the coming months, Slot’s decision to exclude the Reds’ longest-serving player at Stamford Bridge and move Ryan Gravenberch into midfield clearly indicates how the boss views his defensive depth.

Liverpool to join Manchester United in Carlos Baleba pursuit

Although two of England’s most prestigious clubs are firmly in the race for Mykhavko’s services, he is not the only player on the radar in the North West next summer.

Liverpool are interested in Carlos Baleba and are expected to make further defensive midfield recruitments in 2026.

Man United explored the possibility of signing the 21-year-old in the final weeks of the summer transfer window but eventually walked away from a prospective deal due to Brighton’s valuation exceeding £100m.

However, should the Reds qualify for the Champions League next season and fight for multiple trophies this year, they will be in a strong position to challenge their fierce rivals for the Cameroonian international’s signature.