Liverpool have been linked with a much-coveted Premier League star.placeholder image
Liverpool have been linked with a much-coveted Premier League star. | Getty Images
Liverpool have had an awful time with injuries recently, is it time to dip into the transfer market?
Liverpool have somehow found themselves in fourth place in the Champions League positions despite being in crisis for most of the season.
Arne Slot has overseen a troubled campaign but has brought a degree of stability to a team that has only recently seen consistency of selection, mainly due to injuries and absences. What was a strength of the title win of last year has almost been forgotten by the Reds boss, however, he now seems to know what combinations work and what ones don’t.
Are Liverpool going into the market to replace Conor Bradley?
If Alexander Isak returns to fitness and starts ahead of Hugo Ekitke there will be questions to answer given how good the France international has been and his blossoming relationship with Florian Wirtz. A problem that Slot has to solve is at right-back, a position that has caused problems all season in terms of fitness and selection.
Conor Bradley’s injury against Arsenal has ended his season, which leaves Slot with a dilemma. Speaking on The Athletic FC podcast, David Ornstein has addressed whether or not one option is to go into the transfer market: “Yeah, you've seen Szoboszlai, you've seen Joe Gomez, you could use Curtis Jones and Jeremy Frimgpong. So from Liverpool's perspective, there will be no recruitment for that position in January because the way they operate is not to make permanent signings for such a short period of time. And why I say a short period of time is because Bradley will be back for them all being well at the start of next season, at the start of pre-season.
“He hasn't been ruled out of the World Cup if Northern Ireland were to qualify. So they have possibilities there. Liverpool, the feeling I get is that they're keeping their powder dry in the market for the summer. And at that point, the focus will be a central defender or the central defensive position because you've got Ibrahima Konate. His contract is expiring on June 30th. There's no breakthrough in talks over a new contract.
“You've got Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, who will then be entering the final 12 months of their existing deals. Of course, (Giovanni) Leoni coming back all being well from his serious injury. But I would expect recruitment in that department.”
Who should Slot play at right-back?
The obvious solution is to play Jeremie Frimpong, who has looked dangerous in the final third since returning from injury. The Netherlands international won’t develop his defensive skills if he continues to get played higher up the park. Joe Gomez would be an entirely different type of right-back and it might be that Slot rotates the two for the rest of the season.
Not only does he have an impressive passing range, but he also shares a similar physicality to Gomez in terms of stature and aggression. Slot praised Ramsay’s solitary appearance in the Carabao Cup and yet the Scotland international hasn’t been seen since. With Bradley out and Salah still away, now is the perfect opportunity.
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