Liverpool suffered a setback in their pursuit of Marc Gueye last summer.
The Reds believe they have completed a deal for the former Crystal Palace captain before deadline day. However, the reigning FA Cup champions pulled out of the £35m deal at the last minute after failing to find a replacement.
advertise
Giovanni Leoni’s season-ending injury has added to Liverpool’s troubles, leaving Arne Slot severely short-changed at centre-back.
Those flaws came into sharp focus at the weekend as the Reds lost 3-2 to struggling Bournemouth.
Virgil van Dijk failed to bring glory to himself when Joe Gomez started in the absence of Ibrahima Konate.
Shop at the LFC store
LFC x adidas
Shop the Long Distance Series Now
LFC x adidas
Shop the home collection now!
LFC x adidas
Shop the Goalkeeper Collection Now
LFC x adidas third kit
Get your third set of kits now!
The 28-year-old Gomez had to be substituted after a clash with Alisson Becker, with Wataru Endo taking over as centre-back for the remainder of the game.
advertise
Despite being experienced in the position, the Japan captain is clearly not up to Premier League standards.
Wataru Endo is Liverpool’s centre-back
It’s a sad indictment for the Premier League champions that they now have to use the 32-year-old as a back-up option in the heart of their defence.
Without Leoni and without Guehi, Arne Slot is just bones.
He is dealing with injury problems for Gomez, while Konate has missed the past two games due to bereavement. Van Dijk, meanwhile, looks far from his best but Slott has no choice but to play his captain every minute of every game.
advertise
Richard Hughes should really use the final days of the window to complete a centre-back signing. According to The Athletic’s James Pearce, they would be in big trouble if they chose Endo as a centre-back in the final months of the season.
Liverpool desperately need a centre-back
“Liverpool will be in serious trouble if Endo is required at centre-back in the coming months,” the report said.
This should set off transfer alarms at Anfield.
Deals have been finalized for youngsters Noah Adekoya and Mor Talla Ndiaye, while Ifeanyi Ndukwe will join once he turns 18.
advertise
But Slaughter needs defenders at this moment.
Now may not be the right time to bid for Nico Schloterback and Alessandro Bastoni – and Spurs are unlikely to offload Mickey van de Veen in January.
Slaughter now only has Van Dijk and Konate as senior centre-backs. That’s not good enough for a top Premier League team – especially the Premier League champions.
A lot of money was spent last summer to improve this team, but there are still glaring holes. These gaps can no longer be bridged.
