Injured Defender Forces Liverpool Back into Transfer Market

Well, that optimism didn't last long did it. Six days after Liverpool opened their pre-season programme with a win over Tranmere, the squad suffers its first brush with injury, and it's centre-back Joe Gomez who is the unlucky winner of a physio appointment. Gomez was one of few players who impressed under Brendan Rodgers last year, but has yet to play a game under Jürgen Klopp, as spent the majority of the season recovering from a severe knee injury, suffered while on international duty. This time, his achilles is the problematic piece of anatomy, with no word yet on the severity of the injury.

What seems certain is that this will force Klopp into the transfer market once more, as the 19-year old was fourth on the depth chart following the recent departures of Kolo Touré and Martin Skrtel. While the match load this season is far more manageable than it was last year, and while Lucas Leiva can cover the spot in a pinch, it would be inadvisable to go into the season with only three natural centre-backs available. And with break glass in case of emergency alternative Tiago Ilori headed to the Olympics, Andre Wisdom again listed for loan, and Mamadou Sakho yet to be cleared for action, that leaves Dejan Lovren and Joël Matip as the totality of options at Klopp's disposal.

Whether this means the club goes looking for a short term veteran option, or they decide it's time to splurge some its TV money on a player that improves the XI is unclear, but it is safe to expect movement at the position promptly.