The whole Liverpool camp and its fanbase has been rocked by the news of Virgil van Dijk’s injury. Jurgen Klopp will likely be without his leading centre-back for the rest of the season whilst he recovers from anterior cruciate ligament damage picked up against Everton.
The Reds have been forced to deploy makeshift defender Fabinho alongside Joe Gomez, with Joel Matip also ruled out of action temporarily. It’s perhaps dawning on Klopp that he should have prioritised a move for a backup centre-half during the transfer window. Liverpool cashed in on veteran Dejan Lovren and opted not to replace him, which could prove to be a detrimental decision.
Jamie Carragher hit out at Klopp for this exact decision. The Anfield legend stated that a centre-back should have been high up the club’s priority list, to avoid situations such as this one. Should the Reds scramble to find a replacement for van Dijk, they will have to wait until January to get a deal over the line.
Speaking to Football FanCast, former Newcastle defender Steve Howey has tipped a surprise swoop for Wolves captain Conor Coady.
Should Liverpool re-sign Conor Coady?
“Look how well Wolves have done,” Howey commented. “And absolutely he is a catalyst with that. He’s marshalled that defence, he’s a footballing centre-half as well as a defender.”
Indeed, Coady has helped spearhead his side to a strong Premier League run since their promotion. They fell just short of a top six finish last season, losing out to Spurs on goal difference. This time round, top six or maybe even higher will be locked in Nuno Espirito Santo’s sight.
Wolves are currently in sixth place, level on points with Arsenal and Leicester City after enjoying three wins out of their five games played. Despite losing Diogo Jota to Liverpool, the Wanderers haven’t had trouble finding the back of the net with the likes of Raul Jimenez and Daniel Podence pulling the strings. However, letting captain and stalwart defender Coady leave to the same club is another story.
“No doubt,” Howey said on whether the Merseyside native would join the Reds. “Because he started there, if Liverpool came around, I think he would definitely think about it. Absolutely without a doubt. You’re an idiot if you turn Liverpool down.”
The 27-year-old started his footballing journey in Liverpool’s academy, before a move to Huddersfield took him away from his boyhood club. Should they come calling, Coady may be unable to resist the pull of the Premier League champions.
Howey wondered: “I think it’s definitely a good possibility, but how much would Wolves want for him?” Certainly, he will not come cheap and Michael Edwards may need to accept he will cost an eye-watering amount, should the Reds opt to pursue a move.
With van Dijk out and doubts cast over Gomez, the mother ship may decide to call Coady home in what would be a whole new era of his career.
In other news, Kostas Tsimikas shares positive message that will please Liverpool fans…
