Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has hinted that the Reds will make a January transfer move similar to the one that saw Luis Diaz arrive at Anfield.
Diaz was signed from Porto at the start of this year, with Liverpool buying him before they had initially planned amid interest from Tottenham. The attacker has been a revelation since arriving, starring for the Reds as they won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup last term.
But the Colombian has been hit by a knee injury that is set to keep him on the sidelines until at least March. With Diogo Jota also ruled out until February, Klopp is facing mounting challenges with his options in attack.
And having returned from a warm weather training camp in Dubai ahead of the resumption of the Premier League, the German has now hinted that he could dip into the transfer market next month to help mitigate the absences of Diaz and Jota.
“All the signs I got in the Dubai training camp were super positive. I trust in our process and the things we do. It was completely different to pre-season. Completely different," the Liverpool boss said.
"In all the games I saw we were going in the right direction. I am positive we can pick up where we left off rather than go back to the start of the season. I don’t want to start talking about it now but we have two long term injuries up front which is not helpful. Never was, never will be.
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"Last season we had Luis Diaz come in (January) which was very helpful for that part of the season, everybody would see that the same way. But doing something again that is very positive - why not?”
Liverpool's transfer planning has been rocked by the news that sporting director Julian Ward will leave his role at the end of the season. But Klopp insisted it would be business as usual until Ward departed Anfield.
"It was a surprise when Julian told me, but we [will] work completely normal together until the day when he will leave. Julian is 100 per cent committed and everything is fine," Klopp said.
"We never had a problem [and] will not have a problem, so it is all fine. I think he told us after the Southampton game, so I was surprised in that moment but it’s his decision and that’s OK. It will have no impact for this period, not at all.
"January, in our situation, I think what we always say in this moment because it’s true is [that] from the sports side we are always prepared, that’s how it is. It’s always clear what kind of ideas we have or how the necessity is from our point of view and that’s clear.
"But all the rest doesn’t lie 100 per cent in our hands, that’s how it is, and we always work with what we’ve got and that will not change. I think you can imagine with the situation we are in that we are probably looking [but] if something happens, we will see.
