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Joel Matip’s latest injury may force Liverpool to enter the transfer market in January – we enforce the rule on the Reds’ central defense reported goals in the winter window.
The 29-year-old Matip faces three weeks on the sidelines after injuring his groin in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion, the latest in a series of setbacks for the Cameroonian central defender this season.
The Premier League champions were reportedly monitoring a number of potential central defenders following Dejan Lovren’s departure to Zenit St Petersburg last summer.
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Former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock says his former club will have to buy defensive coverage in January after another Joel Matip injury.
However, despite losing both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez to knee injuries that could end the season earlier this season, Liverpool was not believed to have plans to enter the market in January.
Fabinho has impressively substituted for the duo, while neither Rhys Williams, 19, nor Nat Phillips, 23, have looked out of reach when asked to cover the injured Matip.
Captain Jordan Henderson was also asked to replace the center-back when Matip’s back gave way midway through Liverpool’s 1-1 draw at Fulham in December.
But, even with their budget restricted due to the impacts of Covid-19, the club’s stance may now change and coach Jurgen Klopp could bring in defensive reinforcements in January, something that Jamie Carragher has recently defended.
“I don’t necessarily mean bringing in a central defender for £ 70m- £ 80m, like a Van Dijk signature,” said the Sky sports pandit.
“And not necessarily someone to go straight to the team, just someone there so Liverpool don’t end up with two young guys at some point if Fabinho gets hurt.
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“Because right now Liverpool Football Club have a senior center back who is available this season and is prone to injury. So they have to do something in January.”
So who could the Liverpool manager move for? We look at how the club’s reported goals have performed this season, what their attributes are, and if a deal is possible for any of them in January …
Monday, January 4 7:00 pm
Start 8:00 pm
Ben White (Brighton)
Years: 2. 3
Status of the contract: 2024
Liverpool were one of several Premier League clubs that monitored White’s progress during his loan stint with Leeds United last season, when the Poole-born defender played an integral role in promoting Marcelo Bielsa’s team to the Premier. League.
However, that interest has since cooled, and with White also signing a new four-man deal at Brighton in September, removing the player from the Amex in January could prove costly.
Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig)
Years: 22
Status of the contract: 2023
Upamecano is currently one of Europe’s most sought-after central defenders after an impressive season last time with Leipzig, whom he helped advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
The France international was rewarded for those displays with a contract extension last July, although the new deal contains a £ 40m purchase clause that will only go into effect next summer.
And that may cloud the issue when it comes to Liverpool’s interest in January, as does the fact that the two teams meet in the Champions League on February 16.
Meanwhile, despite Upamecano reportedly being Liverpool’s first choice, the defender’s relative loss of form this campaign, coupled with the cost of signing the player in January, may also ruin any plans the club had. to take him to Anfield this season.
However, Carragher believes that if Upamecano is Klopp’s preferred defensive target, then the German should move for him in January.
“There is a young man that everyone was talking about in Leipzig, Dayot Upamecano, they talk about him,” said the former Liverpool defender.
“If he’s the one they wanted, then go ahead. Pay the extra money and do it on January 1.”
Milan Skriniar (Inter Milan)
Years: 25
Status of the contract: 2023
The Slovak international was reportedly interesting for Tottenham last summer, only for the north London club to be spooked by the defender’s £ 54m valuation.
And while the experienced center-back has recently slipped into Antonio Conte’s pecking order, a similar assessment would also prove too prohibitive for Liverpool, who have nonetheless been monitoring the player.
Ozan Squash (Schalke 04)
Years: twenty
Status of the contract: 2024
Liverpool were reportedly set to make a move for Kabak last summer, before the effects of Covid hit their transfer budget.
Klopp prefers to buy in his homeland, where he has contacts, including former Schalke manager David Wagner, with whom he would no doubt have spoken about the Turkish international before leaving the club in September.
Originally it was understood that Schalke wanted £ 40 million for the central defender, pictured above when he played for former club Galatasaray, but that figure has been reduced to £ 30 million, of which Liverpool could pay £ 20 million in January. , and the rest in installments.
And there are even reports that the Reds could use backup forward Divock Origi in part in exchange for the player, who Klopp is believed to be highly rated, although his relative lack of senior experience can count against him.
Perr Schuurs (Ajax)
Years: twenty-one
Status of the contract: 2022
The Dutch international, who had a test with Liverpool two years ago, caught Klopp’s eye when Ajax took on the Reds in the group stage of the Champions League earlier this season.
That led to reports claiming Liverpool were interested in Schuurs, who replaced Matthijs de Ligt in defense when he joined Juventus in the summer of 2019 – stories the youngster was quick to reject.
“I listen to it and I read it [Liverpool rumours] also he said SBS6, as cited by Soccer Scoop. “It’s my first season as a basic player at Ajax. I want to play here for a few more seasons and win awards. I’m not working on that yet.”
However, given that the Eredivisie champions are understood to want £ 27 million for the player, Liverpool may feel that it is a valuation that sporting director Michael Edwards can work with in January.
Of course, if Liverpool are not in a financial position to spend a lot in January, then the club could always consider a possible loan of a defender, or could start negotiating with any foreign player whose contracts expire this summer.
David Alaba (Bayern Munich)
Years: 28
Status of the contract: 2021
The versatile defender appears keen to let Bayern free at the end of the season after rejecting the club’s latest offer for a new deal, and Liverpool reportedly have a “great interest” in the player.
The Reds can wait until his current contract at Allianz Arena expires this summer and sign him for nothing, or if they’re desperate for defensive reinforcements this season, they could try to get him on a reduced-price deal in January.
‘If a January deal makes sense, Liverpool have the means to achieve it’
Sky Sports News Merseyside correspondent Vinny O’Connor’s analysis:
Liverpool’s position again is that they will not sign anyone in the January transfer market.
The caveat to that is that it’s similar to their stance in the past, most recently last summer, before they signed Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota.
It sounds like stating the obvious, but while they say they have no intention of signing players this January, if a deal is presented that makes sense, then they have the means to do so.
As for the summer, and the links with Upamecano, the identification process YES Liverpool will even consider doing whatever is underway right now.
As I mentioned earlier, the response to ties to people like White and Kabak was not of interest.
Messi, Ozil, Wijnaldum: whose contracts are running out?
Premier League clubs will be on high alert for the next six months and beyond, and some big names will see their contracts run out in the summer of 2021.
These players are free to speak with foreign league clubs beginning January 1, as their current clubs weigh whether to offer a new deal, sell for a reduced fee in January, or allow free leave in the summer.
The group of players without a contract is more prominent than ever, with club legends like Lionel Messi and Sergio Agüero at stake if they don’t sign a new contract.
When does the January transfer window open?
The January transfer window will open on Saturday, January 2, 2021 and will close on Monday, February 1; Follow the latest news on our blog dedicated to the Transfer Center at Sky Sports’ digital platforms as well as Sky Sports News.
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