Liverpool’s transfer desperation is gone but Virgil van Dijk’s reality should...

It is no surprise that Liverpool are constantly tied to rafting of potential new players. It’s only part of the modern world we all live in. Especially when it comes to a club of their stature, there is supposedly a new player every day Jürgen Klopp’s shortlist of new recruits.

However, we often see Liverpool create a surprise and sign a player who no one saw coming. The most recent example is Diogo Jota. No one on the outside suspected the former Wolves striker was a target, but hours after the initial connection the deal was closed and he posed in the Anfield locker room.

It may seem unlikely that transfer speculation outside the window can increase, but injury to a key player can certainly help. In this case, Virgil van Dijk’s likely absence for most of the season has led to claims that Liverpool will dive into the market to sign a replacement when January is over.

Given the Dutchman’s impact and influence on the team, it comes as no surprise that many outsiders believe that Liverpool need reinforcement. Van Dijk has been one of the pillars of consistency over the past few years and has been a key figure in bringing important trophies back to Anfield.

It is arguably one of the biggest problems with attitudes towards modern football. If you have a problem with the team or you don’t have a player, many think the right solution is to go to the transfer market and buy someone. Fortunately, from Liverpool’s perspective, Klopp has never followed this approach.

The German has always been of the opinion that you should only sign a player if that is absolutely the right solution. Often times there is no need to spend money on the hype that would surround the deal. Klopp’s approach to tough scenarios like the one he’s in right now is to train the players he needs to be better and adjust the system appropriately. That makes him a great coach.

Regarding Liverpool’s need for a new center-back, it would be wise to have a plan if Van Dijk inevitably leaves the club. He is 29 and entering the final stages of his career. As good as he is, he cannot play at the highest level forever. However, this does not mean that this plan will involve a player signing once the market opens.

However, this is an option that Liverpool could go for. The club has shown that they are capable of injecting the money into a player if the deal is right and the moment is perfect. If they sign a player in January it could be an outside reaction to Van Dijk’s injury. There will certainly be a list of center-backs the club would like to see, but whether any will be signed in January is a different matter.

At the time of Van Dijk’s injury, there would have been understandable panic and concern about what the immediate future would hold. In the five games since then, Liverpool have won all five games and have played three clean sheets while conceding just two goals, one of which came from the penalty spot. You combine this with the loss of Fabinho and it makes the performances of Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips even more extraordinary.

You can’t overstate how impressive Joe Gomez has been over the past few weeks. He played with five different center-back partners (Van Dijk, Fabinho, Matip, Williams and Phillips) and not only hardly made a mistake, but also became a leader when his team needed him most.

Klopp and his backroom team will be delighted and even surprised how well the entire team defended in Van Dijk’s absence. Could this change your intentions on the transfer market when it reopens in the New Year? Liverpool have never been in despair when it comes to attracting new players since Klopp arrived five years ago and they are highly unlikely to start anytime soon.

This doesn’t mean they won’t sign anyone, far from it, but what it does mean we won’t see the club act desperately to get a makeover in the final hours of the window. The evidence suggests that a deal is carefully thought out and scrutinized before it is closed.

What can happen, however, is that Liverpool’s transfer schedule may be sped up by a few months. Instead of waiting until the summer to get the player to Anfield, the club could well decide to act in January and pay a somewhat hefty fee that would then normally have been paid.

It will all depend on how the team acts by then, but the first signs are that there isn’t much need to act quickly. Liverpool have built a reputation for being decisive and wise in the transfer market and there are no signs of this changing despite the injury situation at the club.