We are just a fortnight away from the transfer window to reopen, and fans of many clubs in England are already busy checking who their clubs want buy, after the turn of the year. 4th placed Liverpool are one of the inform teams in the tournament but their defensive frailties have often cost them points, which could have taken them to a better position in the league table.
In all fairness, the Reds have only conceded four goals from open play in their last 16 games, which is a stat not many Liverpool fans will even believe. However, the pairing of Dejan Lovren and Ragnar Klavan in the absence of Joe Matip has worked wonders recently and Liverpool seem a club capable of winning something.
However, it is pretty clear that Klopp’s men are never too far away from a mistake, and are in desperate need of a centre-back, who can solve their problems for the rest of the season, and years to come. Southampton star Virgil van Dijk has constantly eluded their grasp and recent reports claim that Liverpool are no longer interested in meeting his valuation of £70m in the January transfer window.
This will mean that they will have to start looking at other options and one player constantly on their radar is Lazio defender Stefan de Vrij.
Speaking to the media in Italy recently, the Dutch international revealed that he is unsure if he will sign a contract extension with the Italian outfit this season. He is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent in summer, and Liverpool want to use that into pushing Lazio into selling him for a price in January. But is the right man for the Reds?
The first choice CB for club and country at the moment, the 25-year old is a disciplined defender, whose concentration and understanding of the game add stability to his side’s backline. He is smart with his interceptions, quick enough to cover for the fastest of the wingers and strong enough to be a hit in the Premier League.
He is aggressive, even in his distribution, and is the perfect fit for the style of play Klopp is establishing at Liverpool. None of Matip, Lovren and Klavan have shown any kind of consistency this season but De Vrij, who has 3 goals in 15 Serie A appearances this season, has been solid as a rock at the back for Lazio. He can not only walk into the first team at Anfield but can also solve their problems for a long time to come.
He will also be cheap but his injury history will concern Klopp. He missed most of the 2015-16 season with a knee surgery. He only came back to the game full-time in December last year but has missed 42 days and nine games this year, none since October.
He has had a various range of problems, that have kept him out of the game, but his potential is too good to ignore and is a player Liverpool should definitely look at, if they decide not to spend on Van Dijk.
