Liverpool have been told they are “down to the bare bones” at the back after the season-ending injury to Conor Bradley and must move in January for a new defender
Danny Murphy is desperate to see Liverpool add to their squad(Image: )
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has implored Arne Slot to move in the January transfer window, insisting the Premier League champions are “down to the bare bones defensively”.
The Reds have all three senior centre-backs fit following the recent return of Joe Gomez but summer signing Giovanni Leoni suffered a season-ending knee injury in September against Southampton in the Carabao Cup before right full-back Conor Bradley also had his campaign curtailed in the goalless draw at Arsenal last week.
Liverpool attempted to bring in Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi in the summer only to see a £35m agreement fall through at the 11th hour after the Eagles chose to keep their skipper for the season ahead and it is unclear at this stage if the England international moves this month, with Manchester City now also interested.
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Murphy, who was part of the 2001 squad that won the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup, believes Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes have to act this month to bolster the defensive ranks following the injury to Bradley, which will increase the workload on the versatile Gomez, who is the only other alternative at centre-half behind Ibrahima Konate and club captain Virgil van Dijk.
“You’ve now got a problem with Conor Bradley,” Murphy told Boyle Sports. “The cover at centre back is limited anyway, probably Joe Gomez is the only one you can think of and he has his injury problems and he’s going to have to fill in at right back anyway.
“So the majority of people I’m speaking to are just desperately wanting Liverpool to reinforce the back line. Even if it’s a temporary fix for now, just someone who can come in and cover that because if there was an injury to Ibrahima Konate or Virgil van Dijk, you do feel that we’d be weakened.
“Whereas if you look at Arsenal they’ve got Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie, Ben White can go in there, they’ve got so many options, whereas Liverpool are really down to the bare bones defensively.”
On links to Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, Murphy added: “I think Adam Wharton is a phenomenal footballer who makes the game look very easy and would benefit from being in a better team because he’ll have more of the ball and he’d be able to dictate play more and I think that’s inevitably going to come for him.
“I’m not sure he’s what Liverpool need at all right now, to be honest with you. Because I think Ryan Gravenberch, arguably his best game against Arsenal, looking right back at his best in that position, you’re not going to put Wharton ahead of him.
“Now, if Arne Slot wanted to release Gravenberch to play him higher up, then what do you do with Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis McAllister? I actually think most Liverpool fans I speak to are just desperately hoping they reinforce the back line.”
Liverpool return to action on Saturday afternoon when they host Burnley at Anfield.
