Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has urged Brendan Rodgers to replace Glen Johnson with Southampton defender Calum Chambers.
The England international will turn 30 in August and had a poor campaign with the Three Lions in the 2014 FIFA World Cup as Roy Hodgson’s men are out of the summer tournament in Brazil after losing the first two games.
The former Liverpool defender believes the time is right for the Northern Irishman to replace Johnson with a player of Chambers’ calibre.
“At the moment there are very few players available in that position that are actually better than him. The best thing to do would be to get a youngster like Calum Chambers from Southampton,” Lawrenson wrote in his Liverpool ECHO column.
“Glen Johnson has been found out. This World Cup has exposed the defensive frailties many of his detractors have targeted in years gone by. He’s made quite a few mistakes in Brazil and it was definitely an error from Roy Hodgson not to take a second right-back.”
“Just someone who could challenge his position! But if I were Liverpool I would still want to hold on to him. Give Johnson another year and allow someone like Chambers to really compete and push him for a place in the starting eleven.”
“Of course, there is probably daft money involved with pursuing a move like that but it’s the sort of transfer they have got to be looking at now for the right back position surely?” Anfield legend concluded.
Johnson has one year left on his contract and Rodgers is yet to hand the England defender a new deal. Earlier it was reported that the Reds had urged the right-back to take a pay cut in order to continue at Anfield.
However, he rejected a chance to take a cut in his wages, which could see him leave for free if he fails to sign a new deal. Meanwhile, Liverpool could offload him in the summer transfer window in order to cash in on the player rather than letting him leave for free, if he rejects a chance to sign a new deal.
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