Liverpool have seen their squad depleted by injury, fitness and availability issues this season.
Despite losing to Sadio Mane’s Senegal in the semi-final, Mohamed Salah will miss the Burnley game this weekend as he competes in the AFCON third-place play-off.
The Egyptian has been away since mid-December, compounding the ongoing squad woes facing Arne Slot.
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Alexander Isak is out until March, Hugo Ekitike has had a problem in recent weeks, Joe Gomez has been in and out of the squad because of ongoing problems and most recently, Conor Bradley suffered a long-term injury.
How do you think Liverpool should handle the contract situations of Konate, Van Dijk, and Gomez?
Van Dijk (2027), Gomez (2027) and Konate (2026) are all out of contract soon!
Virgil van Dijk applauds supporters after Liverpool's Premier League match against Sunderland at Anfield.
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Bradley’s absence, likely for the rest of the season, means Liverpool have just one senior natural right-back option in Jeremie Frimpong.
Ben White to Liverpool mooted
There are other potential replacements, including midfield pair Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones.
Slot may also want to rely on Gomez, but as most fans know, the Englishman is pretty injury-prone.
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In turn, they may wish to see another defender brought to the club at some point in 2026.
On that front, while speaking to Sky Sports, journalist Dan Kilpatrick suggested that Liverpool, along with Newcastle United, would benefit from signing Arsenal ace Ben White.
He said: “I don’t think there’s many clubs in the Premier League that wouldn’t benefit from having Ben White in their squad, to be honest.
“I mean, I know we’re looking ahead to the summer, but I mean even Liverpool who now have a problem at right-back with Conor Bradley’s injury, Newcastle have an issue there as well because Livramento’s got another hamstring injury.
“So, those are two clubs, whether or not Arsenal would deal with them is a different question. But those are two clubs I think would benefit from having Ben White in their squad.
Who would you like to see become Liverpool’s interim manager IF Slot is let go?
Steven Gerrard during Al-Shabab v Al-Ettifaq: Saudi Pro League
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Ben White could replace outgoing Joe Gomez
As well as being able to start on the right of a back four, White is a natural centre-back, which is a position Liverpool are very light in right now.
Their defensive ranks could be depleted even further in the summer, with it claimed that Gomez could leave.
White seems like the perfect replacement for the former Charlton Athletic man, who is also a natural centre-back who has been moved into a full-back role in recent years.
As Kilpatrick mentioned, it remains to be seen if Arsenal would actually want to sell to a rival.
But White is no longer a key player at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta, having made just five Premier League appearances this term, only four of which saw him start.
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