Image Credits: Imago Images
Conor Bradley’s season-ending knee injury has put a spanner in the works regarding Liverpool’s transfer planning this January window.
The 22-year-old Northern Irishman will undergo surgery after sustaining significant bone and ligament damage in Thursday’s goalless draw at Arsenal, ruling him out for the remainder of the campaign.
Bradley went down off the ball in stoppage time at the Emirates Stadium and was stretchered off following an awkward landing on his left knee. While scans revealed he avoided an ACL tear, the damage is severe enough to end his season prematurely – a devastating blow for both player and club.
The injury leaves Arne Slot dangerously short at right-back. Jeremie Frimpong, who has battled his own fitness issues since joining from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, and Joe Gomez—himself only just returning from a hamstring problem—are the only genuine options. Slot has already been forced to deploy midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones in the position this season.
With that in mind, German outlet Absolut Fussball claim Liverpool are now considering a move for Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Ryerson. The 28-year-old Norwegian has established himself as a reliable presence at Signal Iduna Park since his €5 million move from Union Berlin in January 2023.
Julian Ryerson Per 90 Percentile
Tackles 2.44 80
xAG (Exp. Assisted Goals) 0.26 97
npxG + xAG 0.29 91
Shot-Creating Actions 3.37 93
Successful Take-Ons 1.22 90
Player compared to positional peers in Men’s Big 5 Leagues, UCL, UEL over the last 365 days. Based on 3096 minutes played [FBref].
However, securing Ryerson mid-season won’t be straightforward. Having just extended his contract and become an integral part of Dortmund’s plans, the Bundesliga side would likely demand a significant fee to part with him in January. Liverpool may face competition too, with Barcelona also reportedly tracking the Norwegian ahead of a potential summer move.
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