Sky Sports man drops update on Liverpool defender transfers amid injury crisis
Ciaran McCarthy
Amid an injury crisis in defence at Liverpool, Sky Sports man Mark McAdam has revealed whether players will be signed there before the end of the summer.
The Reds were already without centre-backs Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet at the beginning of pre-season, and an injury sustained by Joe Gomez has worsened things.
In the last pre-season match, a 4-2 loss to Leeds, the Reds had Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Luke Chambers in the heart of defence. Virgil van Dijk is the only fit senior centre-back at the club, and was not on the USA tour.
There have been reports that Liverpool have been considering moves at centre-back so that they can start the season without a problem.
But per McAdam, no signings will be made in defence between now and the end of the summer.
He said: “Well, no is the answer we are being told. My understanding is that Liverpool will not go into the market to sign a player for the next 4-6 weeks. They’re just gonna have to ride through the storm and then wait for their players to come back and then they will be at full strength at the back.”
Gomez is expected back in September, though that could change, while there are no known return dates for Leoni and Jacquet as yet.
Right-backs Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong are also sidelined, but Andoni Iraola does not feel the Dutchman will be out for long.
Gomez injury latest
Gomez sustained a muscle injury as Liverpool beat Sunderland in the US, and Iraola has detailed the different scenarios which could change his recovery time.
He said: "It was quite clear since he complained straight away so he will be some weeks off.
"It's difficult to say - normally one month [out]. If it goes very good, then a little bit less. If it goes bad then a bit more, but it's a muscle injury. It's not massive.
"It will be impossible to have him for the start of the season because we are not so far off, but it shouldn't be a lot more."
On his depth at centre-back, Iraola added: "You've seen in these games that we are pretty thin in the centre-back position.
"The only centre-backs we have right now are Mor [Talla Ndiaye] and Ifeanyi, who are both 18, just arrived at the club and are doing incredibly well. Luke Chambers played there - he's not a centre-back but he played really well.
"Jeremy is ready to go and we will recover Virgil, but I'm happy that, playing against Sunderland and Wrexham with 18-year-old centre backs, the team has shown composure and solidity at the back and it speaks very well about them."
