After Joe Gomez joined Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson, Virgil Van Dijk, Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the treatment table, Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp is looking towards January for solutions to problems.
With several players unavailable for Sunday’s Premier League game against Leicester City, the German tactician will be relying on the club youngsters.
Gomez (knee) and Henderson (thigh) recently joined those on the treatment table in the last few days. Gomez is likely to be ruled out for the rest of the season. This means having him and van Dijk out on long-term injuries will force Klopp into the January transfer market. But if the club’s reserves can step up and prove themselves, Klopp is known to be a manager that gives young players playing opportunities.
He is now left with one senior center-back in Joel Matip. The absence of Alexander-Arnold (calf) means Klopp will be able to field only one of his first-choice back four against Premier League leaders Leicester on Sunday.
He is also waiting for the return of midfielders Fabinho, who can also play in the center of defence. Thiago Alcantara and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain right also return soon, while youngsters Rhys Williams and Neco Williams are injury doubts this weekend.
The recent positive test of Mohamed Salah added to his worries in the attacking font. Klopp had avoided criticizing the forward for attending his brother’s wedding, where he believed to have caught the virus.
Why Jurgen Klopp will be involved in January transfer
It is expected that the German tactician will do some business in the transfer market if Gomez fails to return to action on time. He can’t afford to miss two of his senior defenders.
“If we can do something in January, I have no idea. If we want to do something in January, I have no idea. We’ll just have to see.
“That we look for solutions and the transfer market – that is clear. But in the moment we have the situation we have.
“I don’t want to compare situations but when I came to Dortmund in 2008 my two center-halves were 19 and turned 20 that winter and we played with them for that entire time. Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic.
“We have talent here. They are young – 18, 19, 23 – and we have more experienced players, so we will see. Everybody has a chance.
“They can smell the chance and they step up. They want to show they are ready and we will see.
“We have midfielders – not in the moment but hopefully in a couple of weeks – who can play the more defensive role as well. For the moment we are fine.
“I’m really confident it will work out with the boys and then hopefully we can convince the rest of the world as well,” Klopp said when asked if he would have to dip into the transfer market in January.
It is expected that Klopp will at least make a signing in January as a stopgap while giving the youngsters the chance to impress. But for now, he will have to rely on the youngsters.
