Didi Hamann has claimed that Liverpool will be unable to sign a centre-half in the January transfer window who will improve the squad in the near future.
The former Red’s opinion follows speculation that Jurgen Klopp will pursue a new defensive signing in the window to provide cover amidst the injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.
“I don’t think there is any chance whatsoever that [Liverpool] get a centre-back who will improve them for the next six weeks or next few years,” Hamann told Stadium Astro, via the Echo. “[Klopp] needs to see what he can get in January. You look at players who are not in the Champions League, maybe a bit lower down, and I’m not sure this is the type of player that Liverpool need to improve.”
“[Jordan] Henderson can fill in. Fabinho is hardly injured. I would stay put for now,” the ex-Liverpool midfielder added.
The recent injury suffered to the club’s remaining senior centre-back, Joel Matip, arguably leaves Klopp with little other choice but to pursue defensive cover this month.
While Jordan Henderson could technically provide cover at the back, it’s not a player we want to lose in midfield, on top of Fabinho, due to limited options in defence.
Hamann is right to point out the difficulty in bringing in quality players mid-season – then again, Van Dijk hasn’t done too badly with us since joining in the January window of 2018.
That’s not to suggest that we’ll so easily find another signing of the calibre of the Dutchman, but there are options available that could develop with the squad over the next few years without disrupting the careful balance Klopp has created.
The reality of the matter is that we can’t afford to go into the rest of the season without a senior centre-back being consistently available, and we at the EOTK would back the club to have a target in mind.