Jurgen Klopp has detailed how Liverpool are working on signing a centre-back before Monday’s transfer deadline.
Liverpool are now without a recognised senior centre-back after Joel Matip‘s latest injury, and with Fabinho also ruled out of Sunday’s game at West Ham, options are extremely slim.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Klopp laughed at the thought that the club wouldn’t be working on a solution.
“It is funny if you think ‘Liverpool are fine with the situation’,” the boss said. “We’ll try.”
Asked if the need for a centre-back signing had changed after injuries to Matip and Fabinho on Thursday, Klopp insisted that the club have been working on it throughout.
“My thoughts didn’t change, but my words might have,” he said.
“[It is the] same situation as before. We work on this. That’s what we did all the time. We will see.
“It’s about a solution and that’s what we’re working on.”
Asked about whether it might be a short-term solution or a longer-term signing, Klopp explained: “I’m not sure there’s an £80 million centre-back available at the moment. In fact, I’m sure there’s not.
“This player, this calibre, [I’m] not sure teams would want to sell them now.
“We need to find the right player, and needs to suit our financial situation. That’s what we work on.”
There was some ‘good’ news from Klopp in that he is now more optimistic on the severity of Matip’s injury, with more news expected later on Friday. But the manager was extremely coy on Fabinho, updating only that he was definitely out of Sunday’s match at West Ham.
Some reports on Friday have suggested that Lille centre-back Sven Botman is the man Liverpool are now attempting to sign before Monday night’s transfer deadline. The 6′ 4″ Dutch centre-back would certainly fit the profile of player the Reds are looking for.
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