Liverpool boss Slot casts doubt on January centre-back signing: ‘It’s the last thing on my mind’
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has claimed that bringing in a new centre-back in January is low down his priority list compared to other positions.
The Reds are having a poor season in the Premier League with the defending champions currently eighth after 11 matches, one place below arch-rivals Manchester United.
Liverpool wanted to bring in at least one new centre-back over the summer transfer window with the Reds signing Giovanni Leoni from Parma.
The Reds were also close to signing Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi on deadline day but the Eagles pulled the plug on a deal while the England international was undergoing a medical.
Liverpool were expected to make a move for Guehi over the January transfer window but Slot has claimed that central defence is not his priority,
When asked about potential January transfer window additions, Slot told a press conference on Friday: “This is one of the questions I didn’t expect. There are so many games before that.
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“In the position that we are in, it’s the last thing on my mind. Maybe not for Richard [Hughes, sporting director] but it’s not a topic at all for me at the moment.
“We have three centre-backs, maybe Ryan [Gravenberch] and Wata [Endo] as well. Maybe you are not aware of it yet, but we have other positions that are maybe more of an issue.”
On the hectic schedule and bedding players in, Slot added: “Variation of form is not only with the new signings, it is also with the players we had.
“In a season, they are not always in the same form. But the biggest issue we have faced until now – and are still facing – is the match fitness of the players and the time they have missed in pre-season.
“Alex [Isak] now we were hoping we would play a bit more for Sweden but, unfortunately, he was one yellow away from being suspended so, for obvious reasons, they didn’t play him the second time.
“For us, it would have been better if he had played more minutes.
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“I just told you about Conor and Florian, Jeremie [Frimpong] is already out, Giovanni Leoni as well, so at the moment we have five natural defenders available for seven games in 21 days and I don’t see anyone coming back before that.
“We knew it was hard when you bring players in a little bit later, it’s harder to keep them fit and there is more emphasis on the ones who are fit.”
When asked about trying to retain the Premier League title, Slot replied: “I’ve said many times, at this moment in time we are not thinking or talking about it.
“Same last season when we were top of the league, it is just about the next game.
“The best way to judge a league table is after 38 games. The next best, in my opinion, is after 19 games. Let’s see where we are then.
“For now, the only focus we have is on winning games of football.”
