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It was the last thing Jürgen Klopp needed.
Just days after Trent Alexander-Arnold joined Virgil van Dijk at the treatment table, news of Joe Gomez’s injury leaked from the England field.
the Liverpool The central defender suffered what England coach Gareth Southgate described as a “bothersome” injury during a Three Lions training session. Unfortunately, the news was not positive with Liverpool confirms that Gómez he will miss an “important part” of the season after knee surgery.
Given the latest developments, the Premier League champions may be forced to accelerate plans for defensive reinforcements.
Some eyebrows were raised when Liverpool failed to sign a center-back over the summer, and with Klopp’s options looking stretched, the club you may feel that targeting a new recruit in January is the most logical solution .
Here, we’ve selected five England-based defenders worth exploring for Liverpool’s recruiting team as Klopp manages his deepening injury crisis:
Robin koch
Koch has shown little fear by stepping into the Ben White shaped hole in Leeds United’s defense, immediately establishing himself as a key defensive figure under Marcelo Bielsa.
The 24-year-old, who moved to Elland Road from Freiburg in the summer, endured a admittedly shaky debut against Liverpool, conceding a penalty after just three minutes when he used his arm to block a Mohamed salah Shooting.
However, Koch has regrouped impressively and excelled in Leeds’ win over Sheffield United of Yorkshire and in a draw with Manchester City.
The right-back also provided a confident performance for Germany on Wednesday, when the 2014 World Cup champions beat the Czech Republic 1-0 in a friendly.
Koch has averaged 1.9 tackles and 2.5 interceptions per 90, according to Who scored , and with a number of displays of confidence already under his belt, he has shown that he has the ability to enjoy a long and successful career in the Premier League.
Declan Rice
Rice, already a West Ham United stalwart at age 21, attracted Chelsea’s interest over the summer after starting all 38 league games for the Hammers last season.
Rice has continued his good progress in East London this season, helping David Moyes’ team secure surprisingly emphatic victories over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City.
Rice was also key in preventing Manchester City from taking three points away from London Stadium in October.
Of course, Rice primarily plays as a deep midfielder for West Ham, but he has also been effective in central defense.
While perhaps more used to playing a defensive three, the England international’s ability to fit into multiple positions makes him an attractive proposition for Liverpool, or indeed any potential suitor.
Speaking of which, Chelsea may revive its interest in Rice in January, which may force Liverpool to pay a significant fee to secure his signature.
Ben white
After an excellent loan out at Leeds, helping the Yorkshire side to gain promotion to the Premier League, White has always been there for Brighton & Hove Albion this season.
Another promising young center-back under 25, White was linked to Liverpool in October, and while Seagulls boss Graham Potter dismissed those reports As “football noise,” it seems likely that Liverpool’s scouts are closely monitoring the 23-year-old’s progress.
According Who scored White has won 2.4 tackles for every 90 this season, and while it has been difficult for defensive players to excel in a Brighton team that has thrown in 14 goals in eight games, White drew praise from former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp following a display. dominant against Newcastle United.
“I have to mention Ben White, there’s a center back there that goes straight to the top,” Redknapp said. Sky sports .
“He’s so comfortable with the ball that you can see why Leeds wanted to hold it.”
“That young man is destined for an incredible future, he’s comfortable on the ball, he’s brilliant on defense and I love him.”
Lloyd Kelly
If Liverpool were prepared to dive into the championship market, there are few prospects as exciting as Bournemouth’s Kelly.
The 22-year-old, who joined the Cherries from Bristol City in 2019, has been drawing a lot of applause for his shows with Jason Tindall this season.
Kelly’s integration into the Bournemouth squad with Eddie Howe was slow last season, but he has benefited from Nathan Ake’s departure to Manchester City with six starts so far this season, playing to the left of three defenders alongside Steve Cook and Chris Mepham.
A skillful midfielder with the ball, Kelly’s age and recent improvement mark him as one of the best options at the second level.
Jannik Vestergaard
While he may be the oldest player on the list at some distance at 28, it has been hard to ignore Vestergaard’s progression at Southampton in recent months.
The towering 6-foot-5 Dane has cemented his place alongside Jan Bednarek in defending Ralph Hasenhuttl with the duo helping the Saints into the top four after eight games.
Vestergaard has also backed up his best performance at the rear with important goals, scoring in a 3-3 draw at Chelsea before adding another when Southampton beat teammates Aston Villa 4-3 at Villa Park.
A more seasoned and rounded option, the sight of a mountainous Vestergaard-Van Dijk axis in Liverpool’s defense would be enough to instill fear even in the most confident attacking player.
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