Liverpool’s Joel Matip will miss the rest of the season after injuring his knee during the Reds’ clash with Fulham last weekend and Jurgen Klopp has provided an update on whether a replacement will arrive in January.
The centre-back has been Klopp’s preferred choice to partner Virgil van Dijk in the centre of the Merseyside club’s defence and the setback is a huge blow for everyone at the club as it could be the last time Matip plays for Liverpool with a contract expiring at the end of the campaign.
The Premier League giants have Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah to choose from for the remainder of the season and that should be more than enough unless another star picks up an injury.
Klopp is happy to proceed with the four players and the German coach has stated that Liverpool will not sign a new centre-back in January to replace Matip.
Jurgen Klopp provides update on Liverpool’s January transfer plans
Klopp says that he is happy with the four defenders he currently has and that no club will want to sell a top centre-back in January.
Speaking at his press conference on Friday ahead of the Reds match with Crystal Palace on Saturday, Klopp said via The Athletic: “They all cost money. It has to be the right player. Tell me a club who wants to sell a top, top centre-half who could play for Liverpool?
“Why should we start that process? We’ve only known for a few days that Joel will be out for a long time, which is really bad for us. We still have four centre-halves which is absolutely alright.
“If we’d had a fifth one already in before that, then it would have been a completely different team dynamic. He wouldn’t have been involved and we wouldn’t have seen steps with him or him.
“It was perfect. Is it perfect now? I’d say as long as we can go with this four then yes. If not then it will be a bit more tricky with the amount of games coming up.
“It was never wonderland where you bring in a world-class centre-half until the other is fit again. Other clubs don’t put them under the Christmas tree for us and say: ‘Take it and use it as long as you need it.’
“I didn’t really think about it (buying a centre-back in January). I don’t think so to be honest.”