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Jurgen Klopp has warned Liverpool will not be able to sign a new center-back in the January transfer window.
Defending champion Liverpool are in the midst of a back injury crisis after losing starters Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez for long periods, made worse by MP Joel Matip’s continued struggles to stay in shape.
Klopp has traded Fabinho from a midfield role and has drawn on the products of the academy Rhys Williams and Nathaniel Phillips to great effect, with the ever-shifting four defenders conceding only twice in the last four games.
Former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports expert Jamie Carragher believes it is “paramount” that the champions sign a center back in January to ensure they can retain the title. However, Klopp told Sky Sports News that the financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic means that the decision is not so straightforward.
“I know, but that’s not new, it’s always like that,” Klopp said of the speculation, when asked if Matip would be back in top form and end talks about the arrival of a new center-back in January.
“I can’t really say anything about that, but you can imagine, six months ago we talked about how much all football clubs fight and thank God we were able to move on, and that helped all clubs as well.”
“But it’s not yet the time when I really just …”, the Liverpool manager seems to indicate that money is being spent before continuing, “At least not for us. I don’t know exactly how it is at other clubs, but we I have to be very cautious and very serious, so I don’t know what we can and cannot do. “
‘Hasenhuttl is doing an amazing job’
Klopp has praised the transformative work Ralph Hasenhuttl has done in Southampton ahead of Liverpool’s trip to St Mary’s on Monday Night Football, live on Sky Sports Premier League.
The Liverpool manager knows Hasenhuttl as a “pressure coach” and has been impressed by the Austrian’s refusal to abandon his philosophies despite the club, at one point last season, in a fight for relegation. . They enter Monday’s match seven points behind leader Liverpool.
“If they weren’t wearing the Southampton jersey, you’d see it’s Southampton, I like it,” Klopp said.
“He’s doing an incredible job there. You could really see last season, when they were in a difficult situation, how he rearranged all things defensively without forgetting for a second what his philosophy is.”
“Che Adams and Danny Ings up front, if one of them can’t play then it’s Shane Long, and then the wings are incredibly strong.
“They have a sensationally tight midfield, with James Ward-Prowse as the monster of the league and a very organized last line with a goalie who is flying. So it looks great.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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