Liverpool have been punished for failing to add a centre-back in the summer, but Arne Slot would prefer to take a more glass-half-full stance.
Luckily for the Reds, their two starting centre-backs will be available to face Arsenal on Thursday night, but beyond that, they are looking extremely short-staffed.
Liverpool will bid for Marc Guehi this month, but they won’t get into a transfer tussle if Man City come out all guns blazing.
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Add to that the lengthy absence of new signing Giovanni Leoni, and it’s fair to say problems could be on the horizon with regards to the centre-back position. Slot is taking a less gloomy stance.
Arne Slot during Liverpool Training and Press Conference
Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Arne Slot plays down Liverpool’s centre-back crisis and gives Giovanni Leoni update
While fans have plenty of grievances with the Dutchman, they can’t blame him for the situation that has unfolded at centre-back
Leoni’s devastating injury put him out of action before his Liverpool career could get off the ground, and missing out on Guehi is an error of the recruitment team rather than the manager.
In his pre-Arsenal press conference, Slot was pressed on the glaring hole in his side.
He responded: “I think there’s no manager in the world that would tell you, oh, I’m completely happy that I only have two centre-backs available. But you have to look at the bigger picture and the bigger picture is that we’ve signed an unbelievably talented player with Giovanni Leoni who will be back next season.
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“And this is the way this club works and as much has been said about our spending last summer. It’s not that there is no limitation on us spending. So we have to do smart things and this club has always tried to do smart things to keep up with the teams we want to compete with.”
Who are you picking as Virgil van Dijk’s centre-back partner next season?
Marc Guehi pictured smiling during Crystal Palace training (Credit: Getty Images/Warren Little). Ibrahima Konate lines up ahead of Liverpool's Premier League match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium (Credit: Getty Images/Visionhaus). Giovanni Leoni trains during a session with Liverpool (Credit: Getty Images/Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC). Nico Schlotterbeck gestures to the crowd during Borussia Dortmund's Bundesliga match against RB Leipzig at Signal Iduna Park (Credit: Getty Images/Max Ellerbrake - firo sportphoto).
Photo Credit: Getty Image/Warren Little/Visionhaus/Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Max Ellerbrake- Firo sportphoto
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By the sounds of it, Slot and the club don’t have the same level of dread as most of the fans when it comes to the heart of the Liverpool defence.
Hopefully, that doesn’t mean they won’t do everything they can to strengthen in that department this month. It’s all well and good to talk about the bigger picture, but this is an issue that could be detrimental in the short term.
Liverpool’s transfer plans paint concerning Marc Guehi picture
When Liverpool missed out on Guehi on deadline day, the immediate assumption was that we would have to wait until January before luring the Crystal Palace captain to Anfield.
Now, though, Man City are going through a similar crisis, and have emerged as a direct competitor in the race for the 25-year-old.
CHANGE MY MIND: Richard Hughes should resign if Liverpool let Man City sign Guehi and Semenyo
Marc Guehi pictured at the Emirates Stadium ahead of Crystal Palace's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Arsenal
Credit: Molly Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images
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Liverpool senior figures are predicting a quiet window. That could mean a centre-back and little else, or it could mean no first-team additions.
If it’s the latter, there’s little doubt as to how the fanbase would react — with fury.
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