Friday, March 29, 2024

The 3 players who could fix Liverpool’s defensive crisis in January?

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While Liverpool might mark their return to Premier League duties next weekend sat just a single point adrift of reclaiming their spot at the top of the table, the Reds’ defensive crisis has stolen almost all of the headlines so far this season.

Already watching both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez get hit with long-term knee injuries that have ruled them out for foreseeable future, the defending champions have also been struck by issues to Trent Alexander-Arnold and most recently Andy Robertson while away on international obligations with Scotland.

Expected to dip into the January transfer market when the window reopens, we have taken a look at three defensive reinforcements that Liverpool could be eyeing up.

Ruben Semedo – Olympiakos

If you were to ask Jurgen Klopp one position that he is desperate to fill come January, there is no doubt that the former Borussia Dortmund boss will have a central defender at the top of his wishlist.

With the versatile Fabinho also dealing with a hamstring problem, it was reported in Portugal over the weekend that the Premier League champions have Olympiakos’ Ruben Semedo firmly on their radar.

Renowned for his versatility, Portuguese TV station Sic Noticias have claimed that Liverpool are weighing up offering the 26-year-old a five-year-deal at Anfield in a bid to tempt the two-cap Portugal international to England come January.

Impressive with both Sporting Lisbon and Villarreal before making the move to Olympiakos last year, it is believed that Klopp’s side are confident they could strike a deal with the Greek giants for a fee in the region of £8million.

David Alaba – Bayern Munich

With his own future in Germany yet to be resolved it appearing he is set on a move in January away from Bayern Munich, David Alaba is a man in demand and The Express are reporting that Liverpool are the latest team to chuck their hat into the ring.

Making it no secret that he is seeking a new adventure after helping guide the German heavyweights to the Champions League trophy over the summer, the Austrian ace is in the final year of his deal at the Allianz and Klopp could be smelling another bargain.

Already managing to bring Thiago Alcântara over from Bayern in a cut-price deal over the summer, the 28-year-old is regarded to be one of the best defenders across Europe and his versatility would be a huge attraction to Klopp.

With it reported over the weekend that Liverpool could be eyeing up a potential loan move with Alaba’s contact ticking down by the day, the Reds will know that they must fend off the likes of Juventus if they’re to pull off what would be another real statement come January.

Ben White – Brighton

Already watching the likes of Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez all hit with injury issues over the past week, Klopp could be looking to stay more local and bring in a fellow Brit to fill their void.

Really making a name for himself after playing a vital role in Leeds’ Premier League return over the summer, Ben White has continued to impress many since returning to Brighton and has featured in all of Graham Potter’s top-flight teams so far this year.

With it reported last month by numerous outlets that Klopp is a big fan of the versatile 23-year-old, The Liverpool Echo announced over the weekend that the Reds are still monitoring White and their injury issues could force them to go back to Brighton in January.

Renowned for his passing ability and now gaining some Premier League experience, there is no doubt that Liverpool fans would be excited by the prospect of another young English talent coming through the doors at Anfield.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Dunstan


Formerly of The Independent, Tom has spent the past six years as one of our senior writers and betting experts. Alongside working with numerous publications from across the globe, Tom also graduated from the University of Falmouth in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Digital Media.
Spending almost the past decade working in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada, he has also spent time featuring in sports radio. Tom can be followed on Instagram - @iamtomdunstan

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