Speaking recently on The Transfer Window podcast, Ian McGarry discussed the alleged friction between Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool board.
Despite losing centre-back pair Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez to potentially season-ending injuries, Liverpool have impressed so far in their 2020/21 campaign, with only goal difference keeping them behind Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur, while also securing their passage to the last 16 of the Champions League with one game to spare.
However, the fact that Klopp only has Joel Matip as an experienced senior centre-back available for selection in his first-team squad is undeniably a handicap in both the club’s domestic and European campaigns, with much being discussed as to whether the Reds will make any moves in the January transfer window in order to ease their injury concerns.
This was one subject of discussion on a recent episode of The Transfer Window podcast, in which Ian McGarry revealed that there is a difference of opinion at Liverpool regarding how the club will act in the upcoming transfer window.
He said: “We did report on the podcast three weeks ago that there was a bit of friction between Klopp and the transfer committee/board at the club with regards to recruiting in January. That, [in] our understanding, remains, and that Klopp is still intent, or certainly, wants to recruit a centre-back in January, and possibly one more player as well.
“But, Duncan [Castles], your information is that their director of football, Michael Edwards, has decided on a different policy and that is that given the performances of certain players, that they will suck it and see.”
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TIF Thoughts on Ian McGarry’s comments regarding Liverpool’s January transfer plans…
As previously stated, Liverpool have impressed without the likes of Van Dijk and Gomez, not to mention Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Thiago, Alisson, Fabinho, James Milner, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah – all of whom have missed at least one game through injury so far this season.
However, as the season progresses, Liverpool’s fit players – who will be required to play more fixtures due to the absence of their sidelined teammates – will themselves start to tire, which could lead to a reduction in performance levels, or even to picking up injuries themselves.
As such, if the Liverpool board wish to keep the Reds competing at the top of the Premier League table, as well as in the business end of the Champions League, in our opinion, they should indeed provide Klopp with the reinforcements he, according to McGarry, is requesting.