OPINION
It always appeared to be the case that Liverpool would do very little in the January transfer window in terms of bringing players in.
However, they have been quite active in shipping spare parts out of Anfield. You do have to question, though, manager Jurgen Klopp’s decision to seemingly part ways with both Nathaniel Clyne and Rafael Camacho for the rest of the season.
Clyne sealed a temporary switch to Bournemouth last week, while the Daily Mail reported on Monday that Camacho was heading to Sporting Lisbon on loan.
The former Southampton man is a right back, of course, and Camacho lined up on the right hand side of the defence when he made his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night.
It is slightly baffling that Klopp has apparently decided to avail himself of two potential solutions at right back should anything happen to first choice Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Joe Gomez, currently out injured, can operate at the position, of course, but to do so would be to take him away from his more natural home at the heart of the defence. And besides, with him sidelined at the moment there is no real solution at the position were Camacho to depart.
You could make an argument for James Milner or Fabinho being able to fill in at a pinch, but that’s not an ideal situation for a club like Liverpool. And, again, you’d be dragging them away from their more natural positions.
It just seems strange that Klopp would offload two right backs in the same window, leaving himself with just one orthodox player at the position.
You do wonder whether the German will be left with egg on his face due to these two decisions. We’re seeing now, at centre back, how quickly the injuries can stack up in one area of the pitch.
Camacho’s move isn’t officially finalised, merely reported to be close, so it’s not too late for Klopp to see the error of his ways.
This may be a problem that never flairs up this season, but it could just as easily prove the club’s undoing. In a season with so much riding on it you just wonder whether Klopp might have been better playing it safe rather than potentially ending up very, very sorry.
