Liverpool have already broken the bank in a bid to fix the issues at centre-half, with Virgil van Dijk arriving for a whopping £75 million.
Van Dijk looked very much like the defensive leader that Jurgen Klopp has been crying out for all season on his debut against Merseyside arch-rivals Everton on Friday night, when the Dutchman scored a late winner in the FA Cup third round clash at Anfield.
It’s been one in and one out for the Reds so far in the early stages of the January transfer window, after Philippe Coutinho’s long-discussed switch to Barcelona was confirmed on Saturday afternoon.
Liverpool stand to pocket a staggering £142 million from the Coutinho move and the club is keen to re-invest in yet another problem position.
The Coutinho transfer saga summed up… pic.twitter.com/HHLt7epxHP
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) January 6, 2018
While Klopp will certainly hope to bring in someone to replace the Brazilian playmaker, he’s also prioritised the signing of a new first-choice goalkeeper before the window closes.
Neither Simon Mignolet nor Loris Karius have covered themselves in glory this season and that issue needs to be addressed before Liverpool can ever hope to challenge for domestic success, according to club legend Jamie Carragher.
“Until Liverpool get a goalkeeper of sufficient quality, they won’t challenge the top sides,” Carragher said last month.
He must have got Xhaka for Secret Santa https://t.co/l7EmK4DYRI
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) December 22, 2017
“You look at what Pep Guardiola has done in the summer. Ederson has made as big a difference as anyone with where Manchester City are this season.”
According to a report in the Independent, Liverpool are monitoring Jan Oblak’s situation at Atletico Madrid as they aim to find a long-term solution to their problem between the sticks.
Oblak has developed into one of the more dependable goalkeepers in La Liga and while he would represent a significant improvement over Mignolet and Karius, his release clause of £100 million makes that move less likely.
Roma’s Alisson, who has been keeping City’s Ederson out of the Brazil national team, has also been linked with a move to Anfield but he wouldn’t come cheap either.
A more financially realistic option would be the signing of Stoke’s Jack Butland, the stopper of whom Klopp has long been a big fan.
It might have come a tad later than fans would have ideally liked but Klopp has seemingly realised the importance of shoring up his defence with a reliable centre-back and a ‘keeper who doesn’t flap at every single cross that comes into the box.
Better late than never, mind.
