Liverpool could look to sign more players once the January transfer window arrives, and a new claim suggests they are “pushing” to snap up one highly-rated new defender.
Do Liverpool need more new signings?
The Reds ended up having one of the most significant summers of the Jurgen Klopp era, even though they didn’t necessarily make a huge number of signings in various areas of the pitch.
Instead, the midfield alone underwent massive changes, with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all moving on. Meanwhile, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch came in, giving Liverpool a fresh new look in the middle of the park.
The Reds could arguably have done with a new centre-back as well, however, and preferably someone who is capable of playing both there and at left-back, with Klopp’s new system almost seeing a back-three develop when Trent Alexander-Arnold drifts into midfield in possession.
With Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez all a little on the injury-prone side, and Virgil van Dijk now 32 years of age, it does feel risky to make do with that quartet in defence for the remainder of the season.
Will Liverpool sign Goncalo Inacio in January?
Speaking to Empire of the Kop, journalist Steve Kay claimed that Liverpool could look to sign Sporting CP centre-back Goncalo Inacio in January, having tracked him during the summer transfer window:
“I’m certainly getting a feel from the people I’m talking to that this is one they’re pushing for. Talks have taken place since the end of the transfer window – I’ve been told they have continued. So they’re definitely pushing.
“When a club puts in another release clause into a new contract, that generally means that the player’s up for sale. When you’re hearing people close to the club saying ‘this is Klopp’s man, he wants him’, you do get that feeling. I never really heard those things with [Moises] Caicedo, I never had those types of conversations with sources over [Romeo] Lavia.
“There was never that when you see Klopp in press conferences… you never got that feel.”
Inacio really could be the perfect option to join Liverpool and bolster their defensive options in January, having already blossomed into such an influential player for Sporting, despite still only being 22.
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Goncalo Inacio strengths |
Goncalo Inacio weaknesses |
|---|---|
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Classy in possession |
Not too strong in the air |
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Strong positional sense |
No experience in top league |
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Excellent concentration levels |
The Portuguese sensation has made 126 appearances for his current club, chipping in with 11 goals in that time, and he combines quality on the ball with defensive dominance off it. He has completed 87% of his passes in the Primeira Liga so far this season, as well as averaging 2.3 clearances per game.
Inacio has been lauded as a “complete” player by footballer talent scout Jacek Kulig, and he also scored twice for Portugal in their 9-0 win over Luxembourg earlier this week, showing that he is also now a key performer at international level.
The youngster could be seen as Van Dijk’s long-term replacement in that left-sided centre-back role, and an immediate upgrade on Matip and Gomez, enhancing the squad depth at Klopp’s disposal in the process.