Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool are unlikely to get another defender in January to replace Joël Matip after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in their 4-3 win over Fulham last weekend.
Klopp has often favoured the 32-year-old as Virgil van Dijk‘s partner in the middle of Liverpool’s defence.
Despite his importance in the team, the Liverpool manager said it won’t be easy to replace Matip in the January transfer window, as they don’t live in a “wonderland.”
“In eight years here, I just never understand this. You always talk about transfers as if they would be the easiest thing in the world,” Klopp told reporters at a news conference on Friday.
“Just bring in a player, find the money for it, as if we have endless money. I really don’t understand it. Everybody, you, the fans, everyone talks about it.
“They all cost money. It has to be the right player. Tell me a club who wants to sell a top, top centre-half who could play for Liverpool?
“Why should we start that process? We’ve only known for a few days that Joel will be out for a long time, which is really bad for us. We still have four centre-halves which is absolutely alright.
“If we’d had a fifth one already in before that, then it would have been a completely different team dynamic. He wouldn’t have been involved and we wouldn’t have seen steps with him or him.
“It was perfect. Is it perfect now? I’d say as long as we can go with this four then yes. If not then it will be a bit more tricky with the amount of games coming up.
“It was never wonderland where you bring in a world-class centre-half until the other is fit again. Other clubs don’t put them under the Christmas tree for us and say: ‘Take it and use it as long as you need it.’
“I didn’t really think about it [buying a centre-back in January]. I don’t think so to be honest.”
Liverpool unlikely to replace Matip in January – Klopp
