Liverpool have reportedly made a decision about signing a new right-back in the January transfer window, following Jeremie Frimpong’s injury blow.
The Dutchman was forced off early in the Reds’ 6-0 hammering of Qarabag on Wednesday night, picking up a hamstring issue yet again.
Arne Slot confirmed the injury after the game, admitting that he doesn’t know how long Frimpong will be unavailable for in the second half of the season:
“It’s a muscle injury, but I don’t know how long that is going to be. It’s a muscle so it’s not a knee [injury] and a muscle usually has to do with overloading a player. Not always, of course, because he stretched in the moment, but it is the risk.
“That’s why I took Hugo and Florian off tonight as well, because those are the players that are not as used as Macca or Dom [Szoboszlai], who play longer at both of these levels.”
With Conor Bradley already out for the rest of the campaign, it is only natural that Liverpool fans want to see a new right-back brought in, but according to Sky Sports reporter Vinny O’Connor [via This Is Anfield], they are not expected to make an addition there this month:
“The club do not generally make reactive moves in the transfer market, preferring to stick to their long-term plans – and that remains unchanged. Liverpool always remain alert to their targets becoming available but they will not sign any player based on an injury as they still believe they have options to cover.”
Is not signing a right-back negligent from Liverpool?
This is unlikely to go down too well with the masses, with some of the opinion that Liverpool are not taking risks in the transfer market at an important point in the season.
It could be that the Reds won’t have both Frimpong and Bradley for an extended period, having to use auxiliary options at right-back instead.
That is arguably negligent from Liverpool, as they desperately fight to secure Champions League football again, but the hope is that Frimpong’s absence is only a short-term one.
If not, the Reds are taking a gamble by waiting until the summer, and we will only know if it has paid off when the campaign reaches its conclusion.
