Pierre Kalulu is on Liverpool and Manchester United’s shortlists for the January transfer window, according to reports out of Italy, with Tottenham Hotspur also monitoring the 26-year-old defender.

Neither club has lodged a formal bid, and Juventus’s public position is that the France international is not for sale. The Italian club is instead working on a new contract for a player already tied to Turin until 2029.

Juventus valuation sits around €50m

The asking price, if Juventus were to negotiate at all, is reported at around €50m, with English outlets converting that to roughly £42m. Kalulu is seen as one of Luciano Spalletti’s trusted defenders at Juventus.

His appeal to Premier League recruiters is his flexibility. Kalulu can operate as a centre-back or on the right of a back four, a profile Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool and Michael Carrick’s Manchester United have both prioritised in their scouting.

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Why the two clubs want the same player

For Liverpool, the interest is tied to Virgil van Dijk entering the later stages of his career and Joe Gomez’s injury problems. The club is also weighing options across the back line, with Ronald Araujo currently filling in at right-back on loan from Barcelona and youngsters Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni among the central-defensive options behind Van Dijk.

Manchester United’s need is more immediate. Harry Maguire is 33, and the pairing of Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot on the right side has been inconsistent. Kalulu was already on the club’s radar in the summer window.

Tottenham are listed among the admirers but face a more crowded defensive department after summer investment in the back line.

Juventus not under pressure to sell

The Italian club is under no financial obligation to cash in, and selling a regular Serie A starter halfway through the season would require, in the words of the Italian reporting, a “particularly high offer” that has not yet materialised.

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Iraola has been in charge of Liverpool since replacing Arne Slot at Anfield in June, while Carrick has led Manchester United since his appointment as head coach in January.

The January window opens on 1 January 2027. Until then, Juventus’s message on Kalulu has not changed.

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