Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Liverpool have been supplied the chance to signal a defender late within the January switch window and had mentioned it internally earlier than deciding in opposition to a transfer.
The Italian mentioned on his Right here We Go Podcast on Friday that the Reds had been given the prospect to swoop for Pink Bull Salzburg centre-back Oumar Solet, who’s been on the radar of Anfield scouts ‘for a very long time’.
The journalist outlined: “Liverpool have been by no means near finishing a signing within the January switch window as a result of they have been actually pleased with the squad they’ve.
“They have been by no means near signing Andre [Trindade] or another participant regardless of all of the rumours, however they have been supplied a pleasant risk, an attention-grabbing alternative with Oumar Solet at Salzburg as new centre-back – a participant that they’ve been scouting for a very long time.
“The German director at Liverpool, [Jorg] Schmadtke, is aware of the participant so properly so that they have been discussing internally the likelihood for Solet. Then Liverpool determined to not signal any participant. He was additionally within the listing at Napoli and in addition at Lens, however he ended up staying at Salzburg.”
Like Romano mentioned, it by no means appeared possible that Liverpool would make any important signings in January, with Jurgen Klopp as an alternative blissful to proceed with the squad already at his disposal.
Regardless of Joel Matip’s season-ending ACL damage, the emergence of Jarell Quansah has lessened the urgency round recruiting a brand new centre-back, though it’s a place which could possibly be pursued in the summertime by whoever takes over as Reds supervisor.
Solet has made 14 appearances this season for Salzburg, together with three within the Champions League, however three separate accidents have restricted the 23-year-old’s availability to the Austrian kingpins (Transfermarkt).
That could possibly be a possible purple flag concerning the 6 foot 4 defender, and maybe was a motive for Liverpool chiefs declining the chance to pounce even when he was supplied to them.
Though the Frenchman may be a proficient participant, it appears that evidently Klopp is blissful sufficient with the centre-backs he already has, which is comprehensible when Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Quansah, Joe Gomez and Matip (previous to his ACL damage) have all carried out commendably all through the present marketing campaign.