Liverpool started 2026 in disappointing fashion as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Leeds United at Anfield in the Premier League on Thursday.
It was a fairly uneventful match, with just one 'big chance' between the two teams combined, and one that ended a four-game winning streak for Arne Slot's side.
FSG already knew that there is work to be done with the squad in the January transfer window before this underwhelming result, though, as the club are reportedly closing in on a big-money addition.
Liverpool set to sign new defender
Liverpool are reportedly closing in on the signing of central defender Joel Ordonez from Club Brugge for a fee of up to £43m to bolster the manager's options at the heart of the defence.
joel-ordonez
The Reds did not have a senior centre-back available on the bench against Leeds, with Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni out injured, and it is clearly an area that needs strengthening.
If these latest reports are to be believed, it is an area that FSG are set to strengthen in the coming days, with Ordonez set to come through the door to provide Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate with competition.
Ordonez vs Van Dijk stats
It is good to see that the club have moved swiftly to address a key issue in the squad at the start of the transfer window, but there is still work to be done for the recruitment chiefs before the window slams shut.
One Liverpool flop's performance against Leeds on Thursday showed that FSG still need to spend more money on another signing, even after swooping for Ordonez for £43m.
Why Liverpool need to sign another attacker
The reigning Premier League champions still need to add another attacking option to Slot's arsenal before the January transfer window slams shut.
That is because Florian Wirtz provided yet another reminder that he is not the player who is going to go and make a difference for the Reds in a tight and physical game in the 0-0 draw with Leeds.
The £116m signing started the game on the left flank for Liverpool and looked totally ineffective. One analyst on X stated that the Germany international is "not a final third difference maker", and should play further back on the pitch in a role akin to the one that Pedri plays for Barcelona.
florian-wirtz-leeds-premier-league
There is merit to that theory because he ranks highly in statistics that you would expect a deep-lying midfielder to excel in. For example, Wirtz is in the top 4% of attacking midfielders in the Premier League for passes attempted per 90 (55.38) and the top 2% for progressive passes per 90 (7.05), per FBref.
Meanwhile, his blank against Leeds means that the attacking midfielder has only scored one goal, which came against a Wolves team who have three points, and provided one assist in 18 top-flight games since his big-money switch from the Bundesliga.
Vs Leeds Florian Wirtz
Minutes 66
Shots 4
Goals 0
Big chances created 0
Assists 0
Dribbles completed 0/1
Possession lost 15x
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Wirtz was ineffective at the top end of the pitch for the Reds on Thursday, as he lost possession 15 times without creating any 'big chances', and failed to score from any of his four efforts on goal.
The issue with the £116m signing's struggles on the left flank is that Slot's other left winger, Cody Gakpo, has produced one goal and one assist in his last 11 appearances in all competitions for the club, per Sofascore.
Liverpool's Florian Wirtz-1
Wirtz's struggles in an attacking position, whilst excelling in statistics associated with a deeper-lying midfielder, suggest that Slot should utilise him further back in midfield, such as the position that Curtis Jones started in against Leeds.
This dismal showing against Leeds should be the final bit of evidence that is needed to make that change in role for the German, which would then mean that FSG need to dip into the market to sign a starting-grade left winger.
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With Gakpo struggling badly for form and Wirtz in need of a position change, Liverpool must dip into the market to sign another wide attacker to bolster their squad, even after splashing £43m on Ordonez.