Liverpool need to sign a defender who is ready to slot into Jurgen Klopp’s first-team on January 1st, according to the club’s former striker John Aldridge.
With Virgil van Dijk likely to miss the rest of this season after undergoing knee surgery, the injury to Joe Gomez while he was training with England last week was a hammer blow to the reigning Premier League champions.
Now Aldridge – who was a title winner with Liverpool in the late 1980s – has urged the club’s transfer committee to back Jurgen Klopp with a big name signing when the next transfer window opens for business.
“Just when Jurgen Klopp dared to believe that he could navigate his way to success without Virgil van Dijk, he suddenly finds himself staring at mission impossible,” Aldridge wrote on www.sundayworld.com.
“The injury to Joe Gomez has plunged Liverpool into turmoil. While it looked like they were finding a way to win without Van Dijk, the defensive issues have now reached breaking point.
“Unfortunately, Gomez’s situation cannot be solved quickly and, when you throw in the reality that Joel Matip also has fitness worries, there is only one solution left.
“While Fabinho can slot in at centre-back and do a good job, Jordan Henderson could play in there at a push, and young lads like Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams are showing real potential, Liverpool need to make their move to bring in a central defender now.
“That player needs to be ready to come to the club when the transfer window opens on January 1st, he needs to have a good fitness record – and also have top level experience.”
Source: TeamTalk
