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Jamie Carragher urges Upamecano transfer for Liverpool after van Dijk blow
Jamie Carragher has urged Liverpool to make a January play for RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano, with Virgil van Dijk facing months on the sidelines.
The Reds’ record signing has suffered ACL damage and will require surgery in a massive blow for the club’s title retention hopes.
van Dijk was clattered into by Jordan Pickford during Saturday’s Merseyside Derby, and the news is as bad as first feared.
The Dutch international has been sensational since joining the club in January 2018 and his absence is going to be significant.
Naturally, talk has turned to how van Dijk can be replaced, and eyes are already on the January transfer window.
In the view of Carragher, Liverpool should be going after Upamecano.
: “Liverpool’s next big signing had to be a centre-back anyway and I am talking next summer. Dejan Lovren went and they didn’t replace him so they only have three centre-backs and one of those, Joel Matip, is always injured.
“Here is a young man everyone was talking about at Leipzig, Dayot Upamecano, there is talk of him. Whether he has the profile of van Dijk, I think he is only 6’1″ or 6’2”, so he is maybe not that aerial, but if he is the one they wanted then bring it forward.
“Pay extra money and do it on January 1st.”
TBR’s View – van Dijk irreplaceable but Upamecano brilliant
Upamecano would be an amazing signing for Liverpool.
The Frenchman is one of the best young centre-backs in the world right now having impressed with his standing tackling and ball-playing ability.
Last term, Upamecano’s teammate Emil Forsberg said ‘no one gets past him’, and that he ‘could play for any team in the world’ ().
A player and leader like van Dijk cannot be replaced, but Carragher is right in that Liverpool needed a central defender anyway – the Reds should definitely consider trying to sign Upamecano in January.
One potential stumbling block though is that Upamecano did extend his contract with Leipzig back in July, meaning he would definitely not come cheap.