Report: Klopp plans to use Fabinho at centre back instead of making new signing

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According to the Liverpool Echo, Liverpool don’t actually plan to sign a new centre back this summer – and will use Fabinho there in an emergency.

The Reds sold Dejan Lovren to Zenit St Petersburg this summer, leaving Jurgen Klopp with three senior centre backs at Anfield.

Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip head into the season as Klopp’s main centre backs, and some believed that Liverpool would bring in a new signing.

This report notes that Liverpool have indeed scouted Brighton and Hove Albion defender Ben White, but don’t actually plan to sign a new central defender.

Instead, Liverpool see midfielder Fabinho as their fourth-choice centre back, expecting the Brazilian to drop into a defensive role if needed.

Liverpool have two promising young centre backs in Sepp van den Berg and Billy Koumetio, with the latter really receiving some buzz in pre-season.

Klopp and Liverpool may well feel that there is no need to bring in another specialised centre back, because they would merely block the paths of Van den Berg or Koumetio.

Fabinho has played in that role before and hardly disgraced himself, so using him there occasionally without stunting Van den Berg or Koumetio in the years to come.