Jamie Carragher suggested last week that Liverpool could struggle to retain their Premiership title if they don’t sign a centre-back in January.
However, the club senior figures – who are responsible for transfer dealings – aren’t interested in taking short-term measures. The Reds would rather stick to the philosophy that earned them so much success in recruitment in recent years, and wait for the right player at the right price.
According to reports from the Athletic, Liverpool reached out for Ozan Kabak in November. The club made contact with intermediaries representing the Schalke defender.
Surprisingly, after those initial talks, Liverpool didn’t show enough interest and finally opted not to pursue a deal for the Turkish defender.
He is valued at around £22 million (€25m) which is well within Liverpool’s affordability, but it seems the Reds are not interested in him anymore.
In fact, sources close to Kabank now expect him to move elsewhere. Italian giants AC Milan are interested in him, but they feel the price-tag is excessive.
SL View: Are Liverpool taking a big gamble?
Jurgen Klopp feels that signing an experienced defender for a short term, who doesn’t fit into his playing philosophy is meaningless. Instead, he would put his trust on young players like Rhys Williams and Nathaniel Phillips.
Dayot Upamecano may not be available in January, while Brighton & Hove Albion, who are locked in a relegation battle, are determined to keep hold of Ben White. Liverpool have no interest in Sven Botman.
This is indeed a tricky situation for Liverpool. The Reds will back Klopp with funds if he needs to bring in a player, but it seems the German is happy with the players he has, and won’t make any rash signings just for the sake of it.
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