Ragnar Klavan Set for Liverpool Medical

Ragnar Klavan. Liverpool fans weren't expecting the Augsburg defender to eventually join the club way back in February's Europa League last 32 two-legged clash. The summer transfer window, however, can be full of surprises. After news emerged yesterday that Liverpool were close to signing the defender, the latest is that a medical is set for Tuesday with leaning on Wednesday.

Ragnar Klavan's #LFC medical is set for Tuesday. Official announcement expected on Wednesday should proceedings go as planned.

— Melissa Reddy (@MelissaReddy_) July 18, 2016

The 30-year-old centre back is a short-term option as Liverpool will be without Joe Gomez and Mamadou Sakho for the start of the season, leaving only two senior central defenders available in Joël Matip and Dejan Lovren. Andre Wisdom is probably on his way out, ditto Tiago Ilori--a player who will be at the Olympics hoping to make it a special summer of football for Portugal. Lucas Leiva can fill in, provided he's still around by the start of the season, but Liverpool desperately needed another option at the heart of the defence.

Achilles injuries may have prompted the move, but even if Gomez and Sakho were available, it may have been a move that Liverpool may have needed to make anyway. Despite being an excellent defender, Sakho is prone to injury. As for Gomez, his youth combined with recovery from a serious injury makes it difficult to push him too soon--a talent who will eventually shine. Klavan isn't pushing the extreme end of veteran status and would probably command wages befitting his position in the squad.

The left-footed Klavan will be the fifth new face to join Jürgen Klopp at Anfield this summer after Joël Matip, Sadio Mané, Marko Grujić, and Loris Karius. Like Grujić, Klavan is being signed to support the squad as opposed to being a regular starter. Unlike Grujić, Klavan isn't being signed with a view to developing and improving years down the line.