Neil Jones has stated his belief that Liverpool ‘100%’ need to sign a new centre-back in the January transfer window.
The season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury to Joel Matip has left Jurgen Klopp with four senior options in that role, including Ibrahima Konate (whose fitness record can be concerning), Joe Gomez (mainly used at right-back this term) and Jarell Quansah (20 and navigating his first campaign at this level).
Despite the manager appearing to downplay the need to strengthen that part of the squad next month, the journalist insists that the Reds can’t play with fire when it come to their depth of central defensive options.
Jones told EOTK Insider: “Liverpool 100% need a centre-back. I think they need one in January. I don’t think you can bank on Ibrahima Konate staying fit for the entirety of the season. Even if he is, I don’t think you can bank on him to play three games in a week at this moment in time.
“You’ve seen his fitness troubles already this season; he’s had to be pulled out of France’s squad and be left out of Liverpool games because of fear of injuries.”
He added: “I think Liverpool will be looking at what’s available in January, even with Klopp having set the tone and expectations with his comments, basically saying ‘we’re not going to be there on January 1st trolley dashing for centre-backs’. They will no doubt be aware that they already needed one, and what’s available in January can change as the month progresses.”
Jones continued: “If they’re in the position where they’re at the top of the league and through to the semi-final of the Carabao Cup, plus a difficult draw in the FA Cup coming up, then Europa League in the distance, I think they’re going to have to get another one in, as I don’t think they can rely on the four they’ve got.
“One is basically a right-back at the moment and doing pretty well at it, another is 20 years of age and very inexperienced, and the other has major fitness issues – so I think Liverpool need to get another one in.”
Liverpool fans will recall how an injury crisis three years ago led to Klopp briefly having to field a midfield axis of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson as the Reds’ centre-back partnership, before turning (with more success) to two inexperienced players in Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams.
The Anfield hierarchy are reportedly contemplating recalling the latter from his loan spell at Aberdeen, but it’d still be foolhardy if the club were to let the January transfer window pass without at least making a sustained attempt at a new signing in that area of the pitch.
In the few days since news of Matip’s ACL injury was announced, Ronald Araujo, Marc Guehi, Maxence Lacroix and Jonathan Tah have all been touted as potential options to explore in the market next month.
Klopp has stressed that the theory of buying a player differs greatly from the practical reality of doing so, but Liverpool should be in a strong enough position financially and in terms of on-field performance to be able to attract a centre-back of sufficient quality to be more than a mere placeholder in the Reds’ squad.
The one silver lining to the major injury setback last week is that it’s occurred on the cusp of the one month during the season in which the club can act to strengthen their squad.
It’s something the Anfield powerbrokers simply must exploit if they’re to avoid leaving the manger at risk of the same central defensive mix-and-match lottery which characterised the 2020/21 campaign.
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