Former England manager Glenn Hoddle has aired his belief that Liverpool will back Jurgen Klopp to sign a centre-back if he has a primary target.
Back in October, the Reds lost Virgil van Dijk to an ACL injury after a clash with Jordan Pickford in the Merseyside derby (as per BBC).
Liverpool’s injury problems in defence have been added to by a long-term injury to Joe Gomez and concerns hanging over Joel Matip’s fitness.
That has left Klopp having to use Fabinho as cover at centre-back (per Transfermarkt), supported by one of the remaining inexperienced central defenders in the first-team squad.
During the latest episode of The Glenn Hoddle Footy Show, though, the former England gaffer aired his belief that the club’s hierarchy would back their German manager if he had a priority target. (6:53)
He said: “I think, deep down, if he had the right centre-back, I think the club would [sign someone] under the circumstances – I think it’s evident that they need someone now.
“But it’s getting the right one and I’m not sure they’ve got anyone lined up where they’re going to think, ‘Yeah, he’s a must. He’s somebody we’ve got to go and get and he’s going to improve us.’
“So, if there was someone there, I think he would be backed, I think he would be given the money.
“Fabinho is doing a great job as a centre-back, [Jordan] Henderson’s had to go back in there, the young kid Rhys Williams is a good, young kid but he’s not ready to play back-to-back games.”
TIF Thoughts on what Glenn Hoddle said about a possible centre-back signing…
As can be seen in what the former England gaffer had to say, he believes that the Reds would back Klopp to sign a centre-back if he had a priority target.
Do you think the board would back Jurgen Klopp if he had a priority target?
No, I don't think so
Yes, I think they would
However, Klopp has recently claimed that he “cannot spend the money” when discussing possible transfer targets with the press (as per Sky Sports).
So, that would seem to suggest that the German manager may not get the backing from the Liverpool board to sign a centre-back in this window.
Although, perhaps that may be because he has not highlighted a priority target that would make a big difference, as Hoddle suggested he needed to.