Liverpool have to go all out.
It wasn’t the news reds fans wanted to hear, but it seems that talisman defender Virgil Van Dijk could miss the rest of the 2020/21 season. Liverpool confirmed the big Dutchman has suffered serious knee ligament damage and will have to undergo surgery and months of rehab before he can get back on the pitch.
The news will be a big blow to Jurgen Klopp and his plans to defend Liverpool’s Premier League title. Not only will he be without arguably the best centre-back in the world but Van Dijk is also the squads most consistent in terms of minutes played.
The former Southampton star has almost been an ever present in the starting line up since he joined from Southampton in January 2018, while his defensive partners Joel Matip and Joe Gomez have shared the role thanks to persistent injuries and dips in form. Brazilian midfielder Fabinho will help out by dropping into the role when needed but without a constant lynchpin, the centre-back pairing could change on a match to match basis.
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It’s this uncertainty that will have most fans worried and it’s this uncertainty that should see the Reds go out and buy Dayot Upamecano in January whatever the price. Reports had suggested that Klopp has made the Frenchman his number one defensive target for next summer. This is when the defenders 36 million GBP release clause kicks in and it seems Liverpool were willing to wait until then to make their move.
But with Van Dijk in the rehab room and other injuries hampering the backline they could and probably should go in for their number one target in January. The issue would of course be the cost. Although Upamecano’s current club RB Leipzig may have been set to lose their player next summer they will not be in a position to or may not be willing to let him go any earlier especially for the knockdown price of his release clause.
This means that Liverpool may have to pay anywhere up to 50 million GBP if they want to snaffle him in January. In normal circumstances, this would not be the logical option, but when faced with the unexpected you sometimes have to do whatever is necessary to stay at the top. And with games coming thick and fast over the coming months Liverpool will need to pull something out of the bag if they are to stay on top of the pile come the end of the season.
Do you think buying Dayot Upamecano will be worth it for Liverpool?