Joel Matip will reportedly miss several months of action for Liverpool after picking up an injury on the weekend against Fulham.
The defender was forced off in the second-half on Sunday as Matip went down clutching his knee, with Jurgen Klopp hinting that the Cameroonian could be out through injury for some time.
And now, according to the Guardian, Liverpool’s worst fears have been realised, with Matip set to spend months out on the treatment table after sustaining a knee ligament injury.
Once lauded by Garth Crooks as ‘outstanding’, Liverpool losing Matip is a huge blow heading into the festive period, with a January signing now in defence now almost certainly needed.
The Reds now have just four fully fit centre-backs heading into January, with Ibrahima Konate fighting his own fitness issues whilst Jarell Quansah is in his first season of Premier League football.
Indeed, Matip’s injury will be a massive concern for Liverpool, and the Reds now need to ensure they have a plan in place for when January rolls around next month.
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The timing could not have been any worse for Liverpool to lose a key player to injury, especially one in a position where depth is limited.
Having chosen not to sign a defender in the summer, the Reds’ decision to not move for a centre-back has now come back to haunt them with Matip set to be out for some months.
And as a result, Liverpool need to spend well in the January market, with a new centre-back a huge priority for Klopp in the new year.
Whilst funds will be made available to spend, rival clubs will now be aware that Liverpool need a replacement for Matip, and this could bump up any asking price for a preferred target.