Reds set to boost defensive options on deadline day
LIVERPOOL looks set to address its injury crisis in central defense by making a low-key signing from England’s second division on the final day of the January transfer window.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp hasn’t felt the need to bring in reinforcements at center back after the loss of Virgil van Dijk, in October, and Joe Gomez, in November, to long-term knee injuries. But with the fitness of Joel Matip also proving unreliable, Klopp appears to have changed his mind and could bring in as many as two defenders.
One is likely to be Ben Davies, a 25year-old left-sided center half who plays for Preston North End in the second-tier Championship. He has been linked with a move to Scottish champion Celtic recently.
A medical was scheduled yesterday, with 19-year-old Dutchman Sepp van den Berg likely to head the other way on loan for the rest of the season.
Liverpool is also reportedly interested in Marseille center back Duje Caleta-Car but the French Ligue 1 side’s struggle to find a replacement at short notice could scupper any potential move. “This caliber of player the teams would not sell them now,” Klopp said. “We need to find the right player and one which suits our financial situation, that’s clear as well.”
Such has been the shortage of senior options available to Klopp that he has fielded central midfielders Fabinho and, more recently, Jordan Henderson at center back this season. Fabinho is currently out injured, too.
Henderson played alongside youngster Nathaniel Phillips in the 3-1 win at West Ham United on Sunday, for the 12th different center-back partnership in 21 English Premier League games this season.
In a turbulent title defense, Liverpool is third in the league, four points behind first-place Manchester City, after playing one game more.
It could be one of the quieter deadline days in the English top division, at the end of a month when there has been an outlay of only around 60 million pounds (US$85 million) on players mainly due to clubs reining in their spending during the coronavirus pandemic.
More than half of that is on two players — Amad Diallo to Manchester United and Said Benrahma to West Ham — whose transfers were first announced in the summer window.
Compare that to 2018, when teams splashed out a total of 420 million pounds in January and even last year, when 230 million pounds was spent in the winter window.