Have Liverpool Seen Enough to Dip Back Into the Transfer Market?
Liverpool are now without nine first-team players for an extended period after just a weekend of Premier League football, two games played and silverware collected.
The Reds started their Premier League run with a draw against returnees Fulham. After the final whistle it was 2-2 at Craven Cottage. Unfortunately, the biggest surprise of the day was the ninth injury in the open stage of the 2022/23 season.
Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool lost their star midfielder Thiago Alcantara to a hamstring injury which the club say is not as bad as they “first feared”.
The number six underwent a scan on Sunday that confirmed a hamstring problem, but it’s believed not to be as bad as first feared. Thiago is expected to be out for around six weeks. (via: liverpoolecho.co.uk)
This is another midfielder who has all season left to play: Premier League, Carabao Cup, FA Cup and the Champions League, all these competitions and team choices are already limited.
Chamberlain, Jones, Keita and now Thiago are all unavailable, all of whom are the core of experience, not including Curtis Jones, who is said to be still important to Klopp’s plans this season.
Liverpool are reportedly “preparing” a bid for Sporting Lisbon and Portugal midfielder Matheus Nunes after Thiago Alcantara sustained an injury at the weekend.
Want to see Nunes at Anfield, Reds? https://t.co/AnlTs6qYhN pic.twitter.com/jTVhffoM7U
— Liverpool FC News (@LivEchoLFC) August 11, 2022
Has this forced Liverpool to act on the transfer market?
The Reds have signed a deal but not a player looking to compete for a first-team spot, but a player for the future and one who will play for the Under-21s; They have confirmed the arrival of Oludare Olufunwa from Southampton following his release from St Mary’s.
However, there have been close ties between the Reds and Sporting Lisbon sensation Matheus Nunes, who is wanted by a host of Premier League clubs which do not appear to include the Anfield side.
Other reports again suggest they are ready to pay his €60m (£51m) release clause, while Sporting are not ready to lose him now and want to get him to sign a new contract with them to sign and give him the number 10 jersey.
Liverpool are not targeting a deal for Matheus Nunes. [@_pauljoyce]
– Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) August 11, 2022
Also, Keita only missed the first encounter through illness and is expected to return for the next game on Monday night against Crystal Palace at Anfield.
It’s one of the reasons why they believe they have enough quality with him, Fabinho, Henderson, Milner, Elliott and Carvalho all ready to play until others come back from their injury woes.
One can feel the 2020/2021 sentiment creeping in for Jurgen Klopp and the Reds if they don’t act in the market before the window closes. They need to add at least one new name, but they need to look at two new players if they really want to compete on all fronts this season and defend their trophies from last season.
The only difference that could happen during this run is that Klopp will play his centre-backs as defensive midfielders if the midfielders’ injuries persist, just as he had to use his midfielders and 18-year-olds as defenders during the testing period of 20/ 21