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Dayot Upamecano is reportedly Liverpool’s main transfer target.
The Reds are short on defense after losing Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez for most of the 2020/21 season to severe knee injuries.
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Upamecano is widely considered one of the best young media in Europe.
It leaves injury-prone defender Joel Matip as the club’s only senior central midfielder, with more than a month before the transfer window reopens.
Fabinho, who has been helping on defense, is also offside with an unspecified injury, along with right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold (twin).
Athletic claim that RB Leipzig’s defender Upamecano, who could walk away for around £ 40m at the end of the season, is Liverpool’s first-choice target.
Liverpool were aiming to sign the 22-year-old next summer, and it remains to be seen whether they will accelerate their transfer plans in the January window.
Reds legend Mark Lawrenson told talkSPORT 2 that his former club must sign a central defender in January.
He said: “Joe is a very, very important player. Obviously, with Virgil van Dijk out, it would be Joe Gomez and another.
“The thing about Joe Gomez is that they operated on him immediately and they are already saying that he will miss most of the season, but that really sounds to me like he could come back towards the end.
And Matip is a decent player but he’s like a willow tree; from time to time he flies off and is out of shape for two to three weeks so that’s another concern.
“Some of the younger players have come in and done absolutely well, but I think you are looking at Matip, if he fits, with players like Fabinho or maybe even [Jordan] Henderson [playing in defence] at some point.
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There are fears that Gomez will miss the rest of the season.
“But I think it will force the hand of the coach in the January transfer window.
“You will have to go out and buy from someone, and it will not be a difficult conversation with the owners.
“They will realize what is happening; The best thing about them is that they have this sports franchise in the United States and they know that people lose their shape and get injured, so it is a case of who to bring.
“We are all going to play the game now in January, who are Liverpool going to sign?”
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