Arne Slot has admitted Liverpool face a “hell of a challenge” to improve amid an ongoing injury crisis, after failing to secure a Deadline Day move for Lutsharel Geertruida. The Premier League champions have been hampered by a lack of defensive depth, with Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni both out for the season with knee injuries, and Jeremie Frimpong sidelined with a groin issue.
Liverpool are without a recognised right-back for Sunday’s clash with Manchester City, while Joe Gomez may only be fit enough for the bench. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are the only senior centre-backs available. Slot revealed that an approach for Geertruida, who is on loan at Sunderland from RB Leipzig, fell through after the Black Cats failed to secure a replacement.
Despite the setback, Slot insisted he is “very happy” with his squad, having signed 20-year-old French defender Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes for £60million, as well as teenage centre-backs Noah Adekoya, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye for the youth set-up. However, the winter window has done little to ease immediate defensive pressure.
Slot acknowledged that keeping players fit is key to salvaging success in the Champions League or securing a top-four finish. “This squad is able to do better, but then they all need to stay available,” he said. “That’s going to be a hell of a challenge, because we have three games in seven days coming up.”
The Liverpool boss defended the club’s transfer strategy, stating: “I always want the best for the club even if in the short term it is not ideal for me. This club has a model of signing talented players younger; I have always liked to work in that way.”
