Jurgen Klopp has refused to rule out a Liverpool move for a new left-back this summer.
The Reds only have one senior option at the club at this moment, with Alberto Moreno’s departure at the end of last season leaving Andrew Robertson with no back-up.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo after Liverpool’s 3-1 pre-season victory over Bradford on Sunday, Klopp said: “We will see. No, it’s not a yes, not a no.”
“We will see. I have said already we have to think about everything and at the end maybe we do nothing. Of course, we lost a left-back (in Moreno) but today we saw two pretty young ones, James (Milner) played it. We will see.”
There is no hiding the fact that Liverpool are bare in the left-hand side of their defence, but Robertson only missed two games in the Premier League.
The Reds have been reported by Sport to be rivaling Barcelona for the signing of Real Betis defender Junior Firpo.
OPINION
This may come as a surprise to many involved with Liverpool. It is always a risk to go into a Premier League season with no straight option of a backup, especially with the strength in depth that their main rivals have at Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola constantly utilising the transfer market. Having said this, Moreno only made two Premier League appearances so Klopp will most likely be playing down the importance of a back-up. Reported target Firpo holds a £44.8million release clause, which is a huge amount of money to pay for a player that wouldn’t be a guaranteed starter at the club. If there is a manager who could help a youngster settle in as a backup, it would be Klopp, who must take advantage of the club’s academy. Robertson will always be the main option at left-back, having averaged an impressive 2.2 tackles per game and 1.3 clearances – as well as registering 11 assists. [WhoScored] Klopp usually gets major decisions right at Liverpool, with a sense of calmness surrounding the German amid the apparent lack of options at left-back.
