OPINION
Liverpool had a quiet January transfer window on the whole, especially from the perspective of bringing players into the club.
One star the Reds were said to be tracking, however, was Brazilian wonderkid Emerson. The Daily Mirror reported on Thursday, though, that Jurgen Klopp’s team had missed out on the player, with the 20-year-old joining Spanish champions Barcelona for £10.5million.
Klopp should be breathing a sigh of relief, however, because he does not have need of another right back in the long term. Yes, right now it probably seems like a good idea to bring a player in that position in, but once Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez return to fitness missing out on Emerson will begin to look like less of a bad thing.
The Brazilian wouldn’t have been a short term fix to an injury crisis, he would be someone you’re getting in for the next decade plus. Liverpool, though, already have that player in Alexander-Arnold.
There’s no reason to stunt the Englishman’s growth by bringing someone like Emerson in. Alexander-Arnold is the right back of the present and future at Anfield – nobody else is needed.
In terms of a back up player, that’s covered as well. Gomez can shift along from centre half easily enough, while Rafael Camacho is a highly promising youngster who is already in place at the club. Plus, Nathaniel Clyne is only on loan at Bournemouth and is scheduled to return in the summer.
So there really is no need for a long term project like Emerson. Yes, he may go on to become one of the great right backs in world football, but Liverpool already have one of those in Alexander-Arnold.
Klopp shouldn’t worry about this transfer ‘failure’, not for one second. He already has the pieces in place for long term success at Emerson’s position and for that reason the Reds dodged a big bullet here.
