[ad_1]
Ben White to Liverpool? From Dayot Upamecano to Liverpool? A new center back at Liverpool?
[ MORE: How to watch PL in the USA ]
Less than 48 hours after Liverpool confirmed that Virgil van Dijk will undergo knee surgery and will likely be out for the remainder of the 2020-21 season, various reports claim that Jurgen Klopp’s team is preparing offers for new center-backs. in january.
A Football Insider report claims Liverpool have tracked 23-year-old Brighton central defender Ben White for several seasons and considered making an offer for him this summer after his stellar displays at the heart of the Leeds United defense. while on loan to them in the Championship last season. . White recently signed a new contract in Brighton and has always been there for Graham Potter’s side so far this season as Leeds pushed hard to sign him but couldn’t.
Liverpool did not replace outgoing Dejan Lovren this summer and they are now being backed to rekindle their interest in Dayot Upamecano in January. Upamecano, 21, was said to top the list for Liverpool and Manchester United, but the Frenchman signed a new contract with RB Leipzig following his impressive performance in the UEFA Champions League this summer.
“Liverpool’s next big signing had to be a center back anyway and I’m talking next summer,” Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports. Monday night football. “Dejan Lovren left and they didn’t replace him, so they only have three center-backs and one of them, Joel Matip, is always injured. Now there are question marks on Joe Gomez. So there is no question that Liverpool had to do something big in the transfer market next summer. That was the next. That now has to get ahead of January 2, whoever the goal is in the summer. Not at the end of January. Not [wasting time that month] negotiating with a club “.
Carragher is right. Liverpool’s next big purchase was to be a center-back after they signed Diogo Jota and Thiago Alcantara this summer. After that, they will probably need a center forward to compete / replace Roberto Firmino. But one thing at a time …
Why do Liverpool need to sign Ben White, Dayot Upamecano?
Bottom line: Liverpool need to add at least one center to their ranks not only to replace Virgil van Dijk in the short term, but they have been looking for a long-term partner for him for a while.
With Joel Matip and Joe Gomez their only senior center-backs at the club, plus Fabinho able to play there and return from central midfield, they should have enough to survive until January. But his only other central defender option is Dutch teenager Sepp van den Berg. The 18-year-old has yet to play in the Premier League for Liverpool.
Matip and Gomez have been largely solid alongside VVD, but there’s no question that they both made mistakes and their partnership has never been proven because, well, Virgil van Dijk didn’t miss a single second of Premier League action. last season and is almost never injured.
Can Matip and Gomez step up? Can they stay in shape?
The same cannot be said for Matip and Gómez, who have suffered constant injuries in recent seasons, meaning they have been in and out of the starting lineup alongside Virgil van Dijk.
When they were both injured, Lovren came in. Klopp no longer has that seasoned option, but the smart move here is to have Fabinho back up. If Matip and Gómez lose their form, Fabinho can occupy a supreme place as a central defender. He raved about ProSoccerTalk about Fabinho’s central defense display at Chelsea earlier this season (Liverpool’s only clean sheet in PL, by the way) and while they will lose some central midfield, they have Wijnaldum, Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson, James Milner. and Naby Keita as options there.
It may not be necessary for Klopp to buy a new central, but if he doesn’t, his squad will be stretched to the limit. It’s more about anticipating a purchase in six months to plug the gaping hole in their defense due to the absence of Virgil van Dijk.
[ad_2]
