Journalist Pete O’Rourke has provided a significant update regarding Liverpool’s potential business in the January transfer window.
The Reds are having a tough period from nowhere, losing back-to-back matches against Crystal Palace and Galatasaray, and seeing plenty of criticism coming their way.
There is no need for an overreaction, however, with the likes of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak still getting used to life at Liverpool, as well as Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.
Ibrahima Konate’s form is a big concern, though, while Giovanni Leoni’s season-ending ACL injury is a major blow, leaving Arne Slot with limited depth at centre-back.
Failure to sign Marc Guehi from Palace on deadline day was a huge shame, and it could be that Liverpool delve into the transfer market in January.
That’s what O’Rourke is claiming for Football Insider, saying that the Premier League champions will target a central defender on loan midway through the season.
Perhaps overly dramatically, he adds that another defender is needed in January because of the “demanding fixture schedule”, in order to “keep their chances of retaining the Premier League title alive”.
How much do Liverpool need a new centre-back?
A loan signing in January doesn’t feel ideal for Liverpool, with no need to panic in the current situation, even though Leoni’s injury is the last thing Slot needed.
If the Reds genuinely want to sign a centre-back in the next window, it has to be someone that they see as a long-term signing, rather than a quick fix.
Guehi remains the perfect option for Liverpool, with the England international impressing greatly in Palace’s 2-1 win over Liverpool last weekend, but it feels more likely that they will have to wait until the end of the season to sign him on a free transfer.
If Konate wasn’t in such poor form, not as much would be made of the Reds’ current defensive situation, and they need the Frenchman back to his best as soon as possible.
Joe Gomez is also an option, and almost a forgotten man in some ways, and if Konate doesn’t improve soon, it may be time to give Liverpool’s longest-serving current player a chance.
