Liverpool were frustrated in their chase for Marc Guehi last summer.
The Reds thought they had a deal wrapped up for the former Crystal Palace captain on deadline day. Owing to a failure to land a replacement however the FA Cup holders pulled out of a £35m deal at the last minute.
Liverpool’s troubles were compounded by a season-ending injury suffered by Giovanni Leoni - leaving Arne Slot woefully short at centre-back.
Those deficiencies were in sharp focus over the weekend as the Reds slipped to a 3-2 defeat at struggling Bournemouth.
Virgil van Dijk didn’t cover himself in glory while Joe Gomez was starting in the absence of Ibrahima Konate.
Gomez, 28, had to be substituted due to a clash with Alisson Becker and it was left to Wataru Endo to play centre-back for the remainder of the game.
Although seasoned in that position the Japan captain is patently not up to the Premier League standard there these says.
Wataru Endo is Liverpool's centre-back cover
And it’s a sad indictment right now for the Premier League champions that they are stuck with the 32-year-old as a backup option at the heart of defence.
Without Leoni - and with no Guehi - Arne Slot has been down to the bare bones.
He’s had Gomez’s injury troubles to contend with while Konate has missed the last two matches owing to a family bereavement. Van Dijk meanwhile looks a long way short of his best but Slot has no choice but to play his captain every minute of every game.
Richard Hughes should really be using these last few days of the window to conclude a centre-back signing. According to James Pearce in the Athletic if they head into the final months of the season with Endo as a centre-back option then they are in big bother.
Liverpool desperately need a centre-back
“If Endo is needed to play at centre-back in the coming months, then Liverpool will be in serious trouble,” the report reads.
That should sound the transfer alarm inside Anfield.
Deals have been wrapped up for youth options Noah Adekoya and Mor Talla Ndiaye while Ifeanyi Ndukwe will arrive once he turns 18.
But Slot needs defenders for the here and now.
It’s probably not the right time to bid for Nico Schlotterbeck and Alessandro Bastoni - while Spurs are unlikely to sell Micky van de Ven in January either.
Slot right now has only got Van Dijk and Konate at his disposal as senior centre-backs. That is not good enough for a top Premier League team - not least the Premier League champions.
A lot of money was spent last summer to improve this squad but there are glaring holes all over it. And those shortfalls cannot be covered any longer.
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