Jurgen Klopp was not keen on signing a midfielder, but Thiago’s injury might change the course of Liverpool’s transfer plan.
Change of plans for Klopp due to Thiago’s injury
The first day at Fulham saw the absence of Curtis Jones, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Thiago’s hamstring strain. This will keep him out of action for at least a month, adding to the early problems.
Keita is likely to be in the mix for Crystal Palace‘s visit. But still, many believe that Liverpool has to make a move before the transfer window ends since the midfield is underpopulated.
However, Klopp’s position has seen him defend his midfield and his alternatives throughout the summer. He went on to reiterate that the team won’t make a last-minute acquisition.
But what specifically did the manager say both before and after Thiago’s injury?
Following Thiago’s injury at Fulham, Klopp emphasized that Liverpool still have a variety of options and that any transfer would need to be strategic in the long run:
“We said we don’t need a midfielder because we have enough – and we actually have enough, but the problem now is we get punished for something that is not our responsibility really because things like this can happen.
Look, a transfer must make sense now and in the long term. We have eight midfielders, but we still have enough midfielders. It is not that we lack midfielders, but it’s just that some of them are injured.
And I know, part of the football business is now getting nervous. We are not. But this is not a good situation, I don’t like it at all. We have to see how we react to that – but for sure, not panicking.”
A short-term addition will not be the answer. Klopp reiterated to the press before the trip to Fulham, stating that there are no current plans in the transfer window.
Klopp’s idea of his present midfield options
The manager addresses the arguments against goals from midfield in a written interview before Liverpool’s trip to Asia. He also emphasized that his present alternatives have a variety of uses:
“I know all these things, that we ‘don’t score enough goals from midfield, this and that, but what do we want? This ‘Golden Cow’ that is producing absolutely everything, milk as well!
We can go through it.
Where do you want to start?
So, Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago, Milner, Keita, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Fabio Carvalho, Oxlade-Chamberlain. Now you tell me, what kind of player are we missing? One who is offensive, 1.95m, and arrives into the box to head balls in? OK, apart from that!
We have three players in the squad who can easily play as a No. 6 – Fabinho, of course, but Hendo and Milly played it fine.
Creativity? If we bring in a player just for that, we immediately make it more difficult for Harvey, Curtis, and Fabio.
They can all play different positions as well, of course, Curtis can play a line higher, and Harvey and Fabio can play there too. Fine. We can play a different system as well, where we might only need two midfielders, but then all these guys can play as a No. 10 in the new system.
So, where is the need for a midfielder? I wait for the day when somebody comes to me and tells me why, exactly.”
You can tell that Klopp’s position hasn’t changed much since July. And it is consistent with Liverpool’s strategy under his leadership, which has been to avoid having their will forced.
You get the impression that this reduces Klopp’s need to hunt for a solution during the transfer window. This is because a new player would require time to adjust. And Klopp would expect those who were out to be back in the mix once the player would be up to speed.
In the same way, they did with Virgil van Dijk and Naby Keita, Liverpool is content to exercise patience as they explore for a midfielder next summer.
Not everyone will experience it, though.
