I don’t buy into the idea that Liverpool’s wheels have come off and that their season is spiralling out of control.

Yes they’ve had a poor start to the year and they’ve certainly missed top scorer Saido Mane but a win over Chelsea next week at Anfield could turn around their fortunes again. Plus they are still ahead of both Manchester clubs and remain in the top four.

That being said, I can see that the Reds could do with two or three more star signings in their squad. Now whether that’s this month, I doubt it.

But Jurgen Klopp should already be thinking about the summer and what players can take Liverpool to the next stage.

I still think that the Merseyside club need a proper, proven goalkeeper. Neither Simon Mignolet or Loris Karius fills those ahead of them with enough confidence. They obviously possess a lot of good qualities but at the moment they don’t have an edge that makes them standout winners.

One name that jumps out at me, is current England number one Joe Hart.

The twenty-nine year old does have a few blunders in him but he’s a proven winner and will get you more points in a season than the duo currently vying for the gloves at Anfield. He has won the Premier League twice, has three cup winners medals and possess sixty-eight England caps.

Hart also has a confidence in his own ability and that gives defenders confidence. He’s not scared to shout and make his teammates aware that he’s there and demands more from them. His loan move to Torino in the summer shows the appetite he has to play and continue to improve and prove himself, qualities that Klopp will undoubtedly admire.

Now obviously Liverpool can’t bring Hart in during this window, but they can try and work on the deal now and get in ahead of teams like Chelsea, who’ve been linked with him as talk of Thibaut Courtois going to Real Madrid in the summer grows.

Pep Guardiola doesn’t fancy Joe Hart and while he might replace Claudio Bravo in the summer, he won’t be reinstating the England goalie. If that is indeed the case, then Man City will not stand in Hart’s way if a club comes in for him as they respect his history with the club.

Now I’d also suggest that Klopp brings in another striker. People might be bemused by this as Liverpool have scored more goals than any other side in the English top flight so far this season.

But they still don’t have an out and out world class goalscorer.

When Philippe Coutinho has been injured they’ve struggled and they have also been out of sorts since Mane’s departure to the African Cup of Nations.

Klopp clearly has continued doubts surrounding Daniel Sturridge. I don’t think the German believes Sturridge fully fits into his system, nor does he think the striker can stay fit enough to depend on him for a real run of games.

So this could be the England international’s last season at Anfield.

Maybe the Reds could go for French hitman Alexandre Lacazette.

The Lyon number ten  has bagged seventeen Ligue 1 goals in sixteen appearances. He plays in a front three, the same formation Jurgen favours, and while he’s best through the middle he is also versatile enough to play out on the wing.

Lacazette is a quality finisher. He has plenty of pace, he can hold up the ball and can dribble and run at opponents.

At twenty-five years of age, Alexandre still has the peak of his career to come. His current deal runs until 2019 but it’s already beginning to feel like his time at Lyon is coming to an end.

Former teammate Samuel Umtiti believes Lacazette is already looking for a move away from OL:

“He’ll have that desire, I know his character. He’s waiting for the right moment.”

With Memphis Depay recently arriving at Lyon and with the side currently out of the Champions League places it could be the right time to deal with the notorious Jean-Michel Aulas.

Again a deal in the summer might be easier to conclude but it shouldn’t stop Liverpool starting the ground work this month and start a dialogue with Aulas.

Klopp may also feel a commanding centre-back could improve his current pool.

If the Merseyside Reds can stay in the ‘Top Four’ for the remainder of this campaign, then they should go out and seriously strengthen their squad come the summer.

They need to start seeing themselves as serious title contenders and get ready for another Champions League assault!

The best way to do that, is to back Jurgen Klopp.

Posted on January 27th, 2017 by scott
Filed under: Article