Title challengers, leaders of the Premier League table and more. And yet, even Liverpool are susceptible to injuries along with the rest. It’s been a tough December and yet Jurgen Klopp and his men have come out unscathed but they’ve lost a few stars along the way.
A FA Cup loss to Wolves saw back-up centre-back Dejan Lovren replaced less than five minutes into the game. This has given the title challengers a real headache. While the Croatian star will be back soon, the Sun has reported that Liverpool are after James Tarkowski.
While the Burnley man will be a good option, there are a few others out there who can do the same thing for less than £50million.
His misfortunes have been our entertainment over the last few weeks. With his various slips and own goals, Phil Jones has become football’s punchline. But despite all that, Jones is still a quality rotation centre-back and with Liverpool looking for one, he could be an option. Manchester United haven’t made any move to sell the 26-year-old outright, but if Liverpool are interested, a deal could happen.
Despite all his faults, he’s a brave and committed defender who isn’t afraid to make a challenge, and like most defenders in the world, he is better than Dejan Lovren. While he might not be Virgil Van Dijk’s long-term defensive partner, Phil Jones could do Liverpool some good.
A great defender, the former Manchester City centre-back would be a great addition to any Premier League side and his experience playing and winning the title adds to his value. For Liverpool, however, he would be a great addition and his composure, combined with his tactical acumen makes him a better player than Dejan Lovren.
While he could cost some good money, Matija Nastasic would be one of the few players in the world actually worth it. And his performances for a struggling Schalke this season has been crucial to what little they have achieved. It would be a tough task to convince Schalke 04 to let one of their best stars goes but if Liverpool succeed, they will get a solid centre-back.
Cool, calm and collected, Jamaal Lascelles is what Liverpool need in a rotation centre-back and among many other things, he would be a sensational replacement for Dejan Lovren. Few players in the world would be as affordable as Lascelles and given his Premier League experience, it makes him a great option.
While he did sign a deal with the club in November (via the Guardian), the Magpies’ past does help the Reds when it comes to making a move for a Newcastle star. Take a look at the past – Andy Carroll signed a deal with the club in November 2010 before moving to Liverpool on deadline day of January 2011. History is on Liverpool’s side; they just need to make the move.
