Conte looked at the defender last season when arrived but the club prioritised deals for David Luiz, Alonso and NGolo Kante. rt’s daily LIVE blogAlli only signed a fresh contract in September, following magnificent form since his switch from League One. Initially, Eric Bailly and Daley Blind were the established duo, before Chris Smalling came into contention and eventually replaced the Dutch utility man. tors with the Reds, making them a more viable option if they are to do business with a Premier League side. But for the right price, Mourinho would still be keen for extra cover in their defensive ranks, especially now that the impressive Eric Bailly is off to the Africa Cup of Nations. Like current Kop stars Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firminho, the Swede is supremely versatile and can play almost anywhere outside of defence. the timings of contract renewals so that he has the funds in place to make the contracts work with the clubs cashflow. Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira Ferreira was in Manchester last week to discuss a potential switch. Injury-plagued Carroll missed three months this season with a knee injury. Jose Mourinho is a fan of the Swedish central defender and could make a move him in January.