Liverpool 'have been offered' free agent Daryl Janmaat as short-term cover amid their increasing defensive injury crisis, according to one report.
Joe Gomez is the latest casualty in Jurgen Klopp's backline, having undergone knee surgery on Thursday for an injury picked up on international duty with England. There are fears that the 23-year-old could now miss the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, 2019 PFA Player of the Year Virgil van Dijk probably will miss the remaining months of the campaign with his own serious knee injury sustained in last month's Merseyside derby. Fabinho and Trent Alexander-Arnold too are out of action, but with shorter-term issues.
That leaves just Joel Matip (himself somewhat injury prone) as Liverpool's only fit senior centre back for the time being, and while youngsters Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams have impressed thus far, Liverpool are expected to strengthen in January.
Names like Perr Schurrs (Ajax), Ozan Kabak (Schalke) and Ben White (Brighton) have all been touted, while 90min understands that David Alaba could be open to a Premier League move with his Bayern contract winding down.
TEAMtalk, meanwhile, claim that the Reds may not even wait until January to bring in reinforcements and are 'considering' a short-term deal for 31-year-old former Watford man Janmaat.
The report claims that the Dutchman, who left the Hornets in October, has been given a recommendation by Gini Wijnaldum - the two having played together for the Netherlands and Newcastle previously.
While TEAMtalk claim Liverpool 'have been offered' and are considering Janmaat, it is not clear who has done the offering (other than wingman Wijnaldum) or how seriously it is being considered.
Janmaat, who has played the vast majority of his career at right back, featured just ten times in 2019/20 as Watford were relegated, with the player sidelined for almost a year with his own serious knee injury. Seriously.
Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips in the changing rooms together before the CL final: pic.twitter.com/cdHbH57l8r
— Tommy (@TLister77) November 11, 2020
In 145 games in the Premier League, Janmaat has only played at centre back five times (and was on the losing side in four of those games). Even as an emergency short-term stop gap, he seems a bizarre and unlikely choice.
Other defenders currently without clubs who Liverpool could sign before January include Ezequiel Garay (formerly of Valencia), Ashley Williams (ex-Everton and Bristol City) and Adrian Mariappa (also Watford).
Maybe just wait until January, eh?
Source : 90min