Liverpool are moving to try and address their lack of defensive options in the last few days of January transfer window, but have also sent a defender out on loan
Arne Slot manager of Liverpool
Arne Slot is short of defenders (Image: Getty Images)
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Liverpool have sent Calum Scanlon on loan to Cardiff City, but Arne Slot has a plan in place to address their defensive injuries. The Reds are thread-bare at the back due to injuries, with Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni all sidelined.
Slot was forced to name some youngsters on the bench for the 4-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday in the Premier League. With Frimpong and Bradley unavailable, Dominik Szoboszlai once again filled in at right-back, with Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez completing the back four.
Liverpool's move for Marc Guehi collapsed on deadline day in September and the Crystal Palace defender then joined Manchester City earlier this month. The lack of depth in defence has been an obvious issue for Liverpool this season with injuries biting.
Nevertheless, the club have decided to send Scanlon away to Cardiff until the end of the season. The 20-year-old full-back only recently returned from a long injury lay-off with the Liverpool under-21s and has been sent to the League One leaders for game time and experience, having previously spent time on loan with Millwall.
He joined Liverpool from Birmingham City in February 2021 for £550,000 and has so far only made two first-team appearances.
Liverpool are keen to sign a new player before the transfer window closes on Monday and are in talks to sign Lutsharel Geertruida on loan. Geertruida is currently on loan with Sunderland from parent club RB Leipzig but could switch Premier League clubs due to Slot's influence.
Geertruida was previously a key player and vice-captain for Slot at Feyenoord and is tactically flexible, able to play as a right-back, centre-back and as a defensive midfielder. Liverpool's deal could be a complicated one, given that Sunderland paid Leipzig £2million to sign Geertruida for the entire 2025/26 campaign and the deal does not have a break clause.
Lutsharel Geertruida of Sunderland
Lutsharel Geertruida is on loan at Sunderland from RB Leipzig(Image: Neal Simpson/Getty Images)
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Liverpool may therefore have to pay the Black Cats compensation to get their man. Geertruida has made 17 Premier League appearances for Sunderland this season but might be keen on the move, given his relationship with Slot.
“I think we are trying to strengthen the squad and not trying to weaken it," Slot said after the win over Newcastle on Saturday. "But yeah, 48 hours to go. Let’s see where the window ends up.”
Meanwhile, there has been some speculation linking Curtis Jones with a move to Inter Milan, but Liverpool do not want to let any players go mid-season, when they will be unable to bring in more reinforcements. “I think there’s always a lot of talk about Liverpool and a lot of talks about Liverpool players,” Slot said when asked about Jones.
“There was a lot of noise around the club in the last week – maybe I should say weeks – but I think our fans showed today what noise really means. That’s being loud, because they were so helpful today. That is what noise is here in Liverpool.”
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