[ad_1]
Liverpool central defender Virgil van Dijk faces a fight to play again this season as he will undergo surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The Dutchman is believed to have suffered a third degree tear, the worst possible level.
And that means Liverpool are unlikely to have Van Dijk’s talents until the 2021-21 campaign, which has a considerable impact on their aspirations to win consecutive Premier League titles.
Van Dijk, the PFA player of the year for the 2018-19 campaign, has played every minute of league soccer for the Merseyside club for the past two seasons.
The Reds have had the best defensive record in both years, conceding 55 goals in 76 games, but they have already leaked 13 in just five games this season, and that has been with Van Dijk.
The Dutch international’s dominant leadership from behind will be missed and in his absence Liverpool only have two natural center-backs in Joel Matip and Joe Gomez.
Matip’s appearance against Everton was only his third Premier League start in 12 months due to injury issues.
And the German-born Cameroonian is even suffering a little discomfort at the Merseyside Derby, although he is not believed to have any major problems.
MUST READ: Virgil van Dijk Injury – What is a Grade 3 ACL Tear?
Four free agents Liverpool could sign as central defender after Virgil van Dijk hit the anterior cruciate ligament (Image: GETTY)
Four free agents Liverpool could sign as central defender after Virgil van Dijk ACL hit (Image: GETTY)
Matip complained of some discomfort after the match and the club’s medical team sent him for a scan, but his injury history means Liverpool must use him with care.
Fabinho is another option for Jurgen Klopp at the rear, but behind the Brazilian, Gomez and Matip, the German coach has only inexperienced such as Nat Phillips, Billy Koumetio, Rhys Williams and Sepp van den Berg.
The domestic transfer window was closed on Friday, which means Liverpool cannot sign any more players until the January market, but they can still add free agents to their squad and sign them up for their 25-man Premier League squad sooner. they are announced later today.
Non-contract players can be signed at any time of the season, but can only be registered after the windows, and while Liverpool has little room on their squad for non-youth players, Van Dijk’s injury means his place may be available for the rest of the campaign. .
Liverpool are reluctant to set a deadline for his injury, but with the league campaign ending on 23 May, it is highly unlikely that the 29-year-old will play in the English top flight again this season, so, In theory, a new player could be brought in for nothing to take his place on the team, although a deal would have to be made quickly.
So which free agents could Liverpool look to to offer more depth at the rear? Express Sport takes a look at four possible options.
PREMIER LEAGUE ON TV: Get NOW TV’s Sky Sports Season Pass and Save 25%
Four free agents Liverpool could sign as central defender after Virgil van Dijk ACL hit (Image: GETTY)
Ezequiel Garay
Garay was most recently on Valencia’s books, but has yet to find a new club since leaving Mestalla.
Like Van Dijk, the former Argentine international – who played 32 games for his country – suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in February and asked to be released so that Valencia could sign a replacement.
It cost Valencia £ 18 million four years ago and the 34-year-old has also played at the highest level for Real Madrid, Benfica and Zenit St. Petersburg.
It would be a risk for Liverpool to face Garay given that he is coming off injury and is further ahead in his career than Van Dijk, but he could provide a great experience until January at least.
Four free agents Liverpool could sign as central defender after Virgil van Dijk ACL hit (Image: GETTY)
One problem would be that Garay is notably short on pace, and Liverpool need a reasonable level of speed in their central defenders to be able to operate their risky top line.
Jozo simunovic
Former Celtic member Simunovic has been a free agent since the end of last season and has recently been attacked by AC Milan, according to reports.
At just 26 years old, Simunovic made 129 appearances for Celtic and was primarily a backup option, so he would agree to be the fourth option at Anfield.
Simunovic, Dejan Lovren’s international teammate, has a similar pace to Matip and Fabinho, but is not as effective on the ball as the pair.
However, the Croatian suffered from usual injury problems at Celtic Park and therefore may not be tough enough to consider.
DO NOT MISS …
What Liverpool star Van Dijk said about a possible replacement
How Liverpool could line up against Ajax after Van Dijk and Thiago’s injuries
Liverpool transfer guru Michael Edwards must speed up Van Dijk coverage
Kevin Stewart
Stewart, a household name to Liverpool fans, made 20 first-team appearances in Jurgen Klopp’s first two seasons before joining Hull City for £ 8 million in 2017.
However, he was released by the Tigers after their relegation to League One last season and is still available.
Four free agents Liverpool could sign as central defender after Virgil van Dijk ACL hit (Image: GETTY)
The 27-year-old is naturally a defensive midfielder, but he can take on a center-back role and is a player Klopp already knows.
A move for Tottenham’s former academy product Stewart would be surprising, though it would have tangible logic.
Daniel Schwaab
A player with Bundesliga experience, Schwaab was previously on the books for Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart.
The 32-year-old was most recently at PSV Eindhoven, but left in the summer after four years and more than 100 appearances for the Dutch giants.
Schwaab, a player with 24 caps for Germany’s Under-21 team, will be a player Klopp knows about, although he has never won a senior squad spot for Die Mannschaft.
A solid defender overall, Schwaab would be in Ragnar Klavan’s transfer mold and would surely enjoy the opportunity to work with compatriot Klopp.
Four free agents Liverpool could sign as central defender after Virgil van Dijk ACL hit (Image: GETTY)
Verdict
Is it likely that Liverpool will sign any of the aforementioned quartet? It would be a real surprise if they did.
The Reds are not the type to panic, even after a setback of these proportions, with Van Dijk a titanic presence at the rear of the Premier League champions.
Garay would be the best option if Liverpool were looking for a free agent, but after a knee injury and given his lack of speed, it would be a gamble.
Instead, Liverpool is much more likely to expect Matip to suffer no further injuries, with Nat Phillips, from just 23 matches of first-team experience, the man who will be most trusted if more injuries hit Klopp’s team in the back.
The 23-year-old Phillips did relatively well in his only Liverpool appearance to date in the FA Cup win over Everton in January despite some missed passes, battling well with Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
However, it remains to be seen whether Liverpool will use the January window to recruit a more desirable new center-back.
This article contains affiliate links, which means that we may receive a commission for any sale of products or services that we write about. This article was written completely independently, see more details here
[ad_2]
