Liverpool owners FSG ‘obviously trying’ to sign new stars for Jurgen Klopp – Peter Crouch

Liverpool: Klopp trusts squad to get out of tough spell

Liverpool have just a few days left to solve their centre-back crisis in the January transfer window but Peter Crouch believes the club are doing everything they can to find a solution. Jurgen Klopp indicated that he had been frustrated in his attempts to persuade club officials to make a move for a centre-back last week when he admitted that signing a defender “would help, 100 per cent”.

The Liverpool boss also made it clear that the decision was out of his hands, suggesting a clash of opinions when discussing transfer targets with the club’s transfer committee.

Joel Matip remains the club’s only senior centre-back with Fabinho continuing to fill in with both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez out injured.

Failing to replace Dejan Lovren in the summer has also meant young players such as Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips have had to step up, with the former coming under heavy criticism for his performance in the FA Cup defeat to Manchester United at the weekend.

Reports have suggested that Liverpool are standing firm on their hope that Klopp can cope without a new centre-back until the summer transfer window when more targets would become available.

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But Liverpool’s poor form in recent weeks has led to criticism of FSG from fans in recent weeks over the lack of funding given to Klopp when he needs it most.

Crouch calls the criticism “unfair” though and believes the track record of Liverpool’s transfer strategy in recent years is proof that they know what they’re doing.

“I think the criticism [of the owners] is a little bit unfair to not bring one in,” Crouch told the Liverpool Echo. “They are obviously trying, they have to be.

“It was earmarked for definite, without doubt, that they need a centre-back. I think that is clear for everyone to see.

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“But what I like about how Liverpool have gone about their business in recent years is there has been no panic buying has there?

“Never once have you thought ‘ah they are just trying to fill a gap there’. Every single buy has always had a point or a reason and it has always improved the team.”

He added: “There are so many major factors to a Liverpool signing and a lot of them have been eyebrow raising haven’t they?

“They paid a lot of money for Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah didn’t cut it at Chelsea, Man City didn’t want to buy Virgil van Dijk because they thought he was overpriced.

“The last thing we should do is start undermining Liverpool’s transfer policy because it has been first class in recent years.

“I don’t think they want to go ahead and buy someone who could upset the dressing room or just be a stop-gap signing.

“It’s clear that they need one, they need a centre-back desperately.

“But I think we have to have a little bit of faith in the people who buy the players at Liverpool.”

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