Jurgen Klopp admits it will be very difficult for Liverpool to sign a top quality centre-back at short notice following Joel Matip’s season-ending knee injury.
Matip ruptured his ACL in Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Fulham last weekend and will undergo surgery before a lengthy rehabilitation.
The Reds have Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and youngster Jarell Quansah as their four fit centre-back options, but Gomez has also been filling in at full-back on both flanks because of the need for Trent Alexander-Arnold to play in midfield and Andy Robertson’s long-term shoulder injury.
90min understands that Liverpool are considering their options as a result, not wanting to be short of cover as they jockey for position in the Premier League title race, but Klopp was realistic in his latest press conference over how difficult it is to sign a player of sufficient quality during the season.
“In eight years here, I just never understand this. You always talk about transfers as if they would be the easiest thing in the world,” Klopp said. “Just bring in a player, find the money for it, as if we have endless money. I really don’t understand it. Everybody, you, the fans, everyone talks about it.
“They all cost money. It has to be the right player. Tell me a club who wants to sell a top, top centre-half who could play for Liverpool? Why should we start that process? We’ve only known for a few days that Joel will be out for a long time, which is really bad for us. We still have four centre-halves which is absolutely alright.
“If we’d had a fifth one already in before that, then it would have been a completely different team dynamic. He wouldn’t have been involved and we wouldn’t have seen steps with him or him.”
Klopp pointed out that having four fit central defenders is probably the sweet spot for Liverpool, but even if an injury was to scupper those plans it’s not easy to magic up a signing at short notice.
“It was perfect. Is it perfect now? I’d say as long as we can go with this four then yes. If not then it will be a bit more tricky with the amount of games coming up,” he continued.
“It was never wonderland where you bring in a world-class centre-half until the other is fit again. Other clubs don’t put them under the Christmas tree for us and say: ‘Take it and use it as long as you need it.’
On whether he’d considered a signing, Klopp concluded: “I didn’t really think about it (buying a centre-back in January). I don’t think so to be honest.”
Matip’s Liverpool contract expires in the summer, meaning he could feasibly have played his last game for the club were it not to be renewed. However, Klopp suggested that Liverpool “will show their class” and offer the Cameroonian an extension that would take the 32-year-old into a ninth season at Anfield.
READ THE LATEST LIVERPOOL NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP
Read More: World News | Entertainment News | Celeb News
90Mins
