Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is reportedly exploring the possibility of bringing Tiago Ilori back from Aston Villa to ease his defensive injury crisis.
The 22-year-old joined Villa on a season-long loan in the summer and there is no recall option in the agreement, according to Sky Sports.
But he has not played a single minute for the Premier League’s rock-bottom side, either under Tim Sherwood or his replacement Remi Garde.
Ilori can return to Anfield if Villa terminate his loan – something which Garde may consider to free up wages and space for his own signings this month.
Klopp would welcome Ilori back, with Dejan Lovren and Kolo Toure having picked up injuries during Tuesday’s Capital One Cup first-leg win over Stoke.
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As BBC Sport reports, Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho were already sidelined, while Joe Gomez will miss the rest of the season with knee ligament damage.
“Two weeks ago we had three centre-backs, which is a good situation, and the season started with five – but now it is zero,” BBC Sport quotes Klopp as saying.
Ilori is yet to make a single competitive appearance for Liverpool’s first team since joining from Sporting Lisbon for £7m in 2013 – fee according to BBC Sport.
But the Portuguese would be in line for plenty of game time if Villa were to send him back to Liverpool, who have five matches between now and the end of January.
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