Liverpool fear the worst after Conor Bradley was stretchered off against Arsenal, with the strain on Arne Slot’s defensive options increased even more as a result
Conor Bradley was seen leaving the Emirates on crutches after sustaining an injury in the 0-0 draw against Arsenal(Image: )
Having fought so hard to retain Marc Guehi’s services in the summer, helping block a £35m move to Liverpool on transfer deadline day in the process, Oliver Glasner’s stance has seemingly softened now the window has re-opened. Guehi is out of contract at the end of the season and it has already been confirmed that he will not be signing an extension at Selhurst Park.
The expectation had been that the 25-year-old would see out his current deal before having his pick of the clubs as a free agent come the summer.
But after Manchester City lost both Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias to injury last weekend against Chelsea, leaving them short at centre-back as a result, the prospect of Guehi moving on mid-season has re-emerged.
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Sure enough, in contrast to last summer when he came out fighting to keep his captain, Glasner conceded that Palace would likely sell Guehi in January if an acceptable bid was made.
“Everybody wants that he plays for Crystal Palace, signs a new contract and stays here for ever,” the Eagles boss said earlier this week. “On the other side, there’s the situation that the contract ends in the summer.
“And if somebody is coming, there will be a moment when the club says: ‘Now the financial issue is more important than the sport issue. We have to do it and try to get the best.’
“That’s why I’m always saying: ‘I don’t know.’ Because this is different. There will be a threshold where the club has to say (sell) …
“If the player says: ‘I want to leave’, and the money is above the threshold, it will happen.
“I’m not so naïve not to know that if a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen.”
Glasner would later reiterate his desire to keep Guehi and share his belief that the defender would stay put. But the door for a mid-season exit seemingly remains ajar.
Liverpool remain interested in the England international and are among a number of clubs planning a pitch to the player when his contract at Selhurst Park expires at the end of the season.
When Arne Slot was asked about City’s rival interest in Guehi, he understandably remained tight-lipped before insisting he was happy with his current squad.
Consequently, should the Etihad outfit indeed make a move for the former Chelsea youngster this month, it remains to be seen if the Reds will accelerate their own plans.
But given the fact that City’s own discussions regarding a possible mid-season move for Guehi rather than waiting until the summer when he becomes a free agent were inspired by their own defensive injury crisis, you wonder whether Liverpool should now follow suit.
The Reds are already short on options at centre-back, having seen Giovanni Leoni suffer an ACL injury on his debut back in September.
While Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have avoided enforced absences, Liverpool have seen Joe Gomez also miss a number of games through injury. Meanwhile, Slot’s options have also frequently been depleted at right-back with both Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley suffering more than one lay-off.
The Northern Ireland international is now likely facing another prolonged stint on the sidelines after being stretchered off against Arsenal, and having been seen leaving the Emirates on crutches, with Slot admitting after the final whistle that he feared the worst.
Such an injury came only a day after the Dutchman shared his relief at Gomez’s return from a hamstring lay-off, while conceding it is never ideal to have only two centre-backs available.
While Bradley is not a centre-back, any absence will only increase the strain on Liverpool’s stretched backline.
Gomez will now vie with Frimpong to start at right-back in the absence of Bradley, yet the latter had been utilised further forward during Mohamed Salah’s time away at the Africa Cup of Nations.
While the Egyptian will return later this month, Frimpong’s own hamstring woes this season emphasise how the Reds still have to tread carefully and cannot rely on him to play every single game between now and the end of May.
Consequently, his game-time will be shared with Gomez. But that in turn will strain Liverpool’s options at centre-back, with it quite possible that Slot will also have to start his own available alternative to Van Dijk and Konate.
Admittedly, it makes little sense for the Reds to sign a new right-back in January in response to Bradley’s injury. Whenever he is back, they would have two natural options once again, not including Gomez, regardless of any hypothetical new arrival. It makes little sense to bloat the position in the short-term.
But should Liverpool revisit interest in Guehi this month in response to Bradley’s absence, it would enable them to use Gomez at right-back without depleting their centre-back options, while strengthening a position they already intended to add to in the first place.
The Reds would have signed the Palace skipper in the summer, had his club not had an 11th hour U-turn, and would happily sign the him on a Bosman transfer when his contract expires.
Evidently, it is a transfer Liverpool would like to complete. And while the Reds had previously wanted to wait until the end of the season, their latest defensive injury could change the landscape.
In Van Dijk, Konate, Gomez and Frimpong, they boast only four senior players to cover three starting defensive positions, and six players to cover their entire back four.
With an entire half of the season still to play, such a total would not be enough – even overlooking the chequered injury past of the latter trio. It would be naive to think such a total is enough. Something has to give.
Defensive injuries at Man City prompted such a conversation at the Etihad regarding a mid-season move for Guehi. Having now been stung themselves, and having already come so close to signing the Palace star in the summer, Liverpool bosses would be wise to do the same.
