Jurgen Klopp has little appetite for Liverpool to sign a new central midfielder in the January transfer sales partly through Naby Keita and Harvey Elliott, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Previous reports by the Daily Star have associated the Reds with interest in targeting Leeds United anchor Kalvin Phillips. They also report the England international is reluctant to join Manchester United, who are keen on a £60m transfer, over the likely impact on his family.
But Klopp is unlikely to throw Liverpool’s hat into the Phillips transfer ring, and will stick with his current options. The German believes he has enough quality in central positions at Anfield, despite the raft of injuries the Merseysiders have suffered from so far this season.
Elliott is yet to feature since the 18-year-old underwent surgery on a fracture–dislocation in his ankle sustained in September. He had started three of their opening four league games.
The England U21 international is making progress on his recovery trail, however. Klopp will no doubt welcome Elliott’s return to Liverpool’s squad, having been full of praise in August.
“He can play [centre mid], he can play up front, the right-wing,” Klopp noted, via the Daily Mail. “He smashed the bar, he is different, he can play a few positions, no doubt. We wanted to try him in midfield in pre-season to get him more involved. He made big steps.”
Keita return gives Klopp extra midfield options at Liverpool
Keita, meanwhile, returned to action against AC Milan to feed Klopp’s appetite for options in the Liverpool engine room. The 26-year-old has not played any Premier League minutes since October due to a hamstring injury, but managed the final 25-minutes at the San Siro.
The £120k-a-week Guinea international had shown signs of finding form before the blow. Keita particularly shone during Liverpool’s 5-0 win over Manchester United in October.
He scored and provided an assist at Old Trafford, after which Alan Shearer dubbed the 44-cap star’s efforts his ‘best display in a Liverpool shirt’ for the Premier League’s website.
Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho, James Milner and Jordan Henderson have also suffered fitness or injury issues so far this season. But Klopp is happy to have the quartet, Keita, Elliott and Curtis Jones as his Liverpool midfield options before next month’s transfer window.
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