Jürgen Klopp on Liverpool Signing a CB: “I Don’t Think So to Be Honest”
The injury to Joël Matip is unlikely to push the club into the January transfer market according to the Liverpool manager.
When Liverpool’s Joël Matip suffered a season-ending ACL injury in Sunday’s 4-3 victory over Fulham, the calls amongst the fanbase for the club to sign a centre half in January that followed were probably inevitable.
Likely just as inevitable was manager Jürgen Klopp pouring cold water on those hopes, which the Liverpool boss promptly did at his pre-match press conference ahead of this weekend’s match against Crystal Palace.
“Everyone talks about us needing another player but they all cost money and they must be the right player,” he said. “You tell me a club who wants to sell a top centre-half. Not a centre-half but a top centre-half.
“For four or five days we’ve known Joel will be out for a long time and that’s really bad for us but we still have four centre-halves and that’s absolutely alright. Is it perfect? I would say it is as long as we have those four, yes.
“But it was never a wonderland where you can bring in a world-class centre-half until the other one is fit again. If other clubs don’t put them under the Christmas tree and say ‘take it!’ I don’t think so to be honest.”
As always there will be those who cling to hope. To the idea that if the club were scrambling to line up a big centre half signing, Klopp likely wouldn’t come right out and say as much in his pre-match press conference.
Really, though, the Liverpool manager’s words and sentiments are predictable, as Klopp has never made a secret of his skepticism over January signings to replace injured players or his desire to not carry a bloated squad.
Barring something unexpected—be it another club gift wrapping a long-term target or another significant injury forcing their hand—Liverpool still have four senior centre half options. For Klopp that’s likely enough.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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