Jamie Carragher has called on Jurgen Klopp to bring in fresh forward players but Timo Werner will be joining Chelsea next season
Tuesday 23 June 2020 19:45, UK
Liverpool had no intention of signing RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner - and their summer transfer plans are likely to be compromised by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Sky Sports News reporter Vinny O'Connor.
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The Premier League champions-elect missed out on the chance to sign RB Leipzig striker Werner, who will join Chelsea next month after they activated his €50m (£45m) release clause.
Speaking after the goalless Merseyside derby at the weekend, Jamie Carragher called on Jurgen Klopp to bring in fresh forward players, claiming there is a "massive drop off" when one of the front three are not featuring.
"The front three are as good as anyone in Europe but when just one of them isn't playing there is a massive drop off," Carragher explained on Sky Sports.
"Go back to the Manchester United game earlier in the season without Salah. I feel that's why Liverpool still need to strengthen their front three.
"(Divock) Origi is a legend at the club for the goals he scored but they still need more. (Takumi) Minamino is not for me.
"If they lost one of the wide players for a while through injury, they would be in trouble."
The Africa Cup of Nations is still expected to take place early next year, with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita all likely to be missing during a crucial point in the 2020/21 season.
Liverpool's recruitment - and the decision not to bid for Werner - was debated on the latest Premier League Weekend Review podcast ahead of Crystal Palace's trip to Anfield this week, live on Sky Sports.
With the new austerity of transfer budgets likely to be enforced throughout Europe, have Liverpool been forced to put all transfer plans on hold?
"All the noises coming out of Liverpool throughout the whole Werner situation were that they had no plans to sign him," O'Connor told Sky Sports.
"That's going back to the January transfer window, looking ahead to the summer, and that's transpired to be the case. Obviously they were interested and when keeping tabs on him as one of the hottest properties in European football.
"There were also suggestions of it being a financial issue as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and with Liverpool not willing to meet the release clause that he had at RB Leipzig.
"Jamie has spoken of the need to bring in extra quality to supplement the front three - at the moment, Liverpool are concentrating on keeping one of the best front threes in world football happy.
"It's an area where Liverpool could look to improve, but the noises coming out of Liverpool is that they're having to assess things because of the impact of the coronavirus."
Takumi Minamino joined the club in January from Red Bull Salzburg, and O'Connor believes the Japan forward will take time to adjust as he looks to get his nascent Liverpool career up and running.
Sky Sports journalist Gerard Brand believes it is important Liverpool build competition within their squad ahead of their expected title defence next season, but he acknowledges the difficulty in improving on an already-formidable first choice forward line.
"I don't think it's as simple as Liverpool turning down a £50m move for Werner," added Brand.
"It could come back to haunt them, but there are a few things that we have to consider and think beyond the 'fantasy football' of why Liverpool didn't go for him.
"What is so incredibly scary for the rest of the Premier League is that this Liverpool team are likely to get the record number of points, the record number of wins... they've got a sizeable amount of room for improvement.
"First of all, that comes in the shape of back-up to the front three, but here's the issue: how do you sign a world-class forward when that player knows they have to shift one of Salah, Firmino or Mane? They're all 28 and in their prime.
"They'd need to shift one of the those to get minutes, and it's not just that. Klopp needs to be careful not to upset the equilibrium of the front three by bringing in another top forward.
"It's something we've seen at Tottenham in recent years in trying to get back-up for Harry Kane. Everyone knows that Spurs play one up top, and Kane is going to start as much as possible so you can't realistically get a world-class back-up in.
"It'll now be about how Liverpool can carefully build competition while also keeping the morale in the team high."
Sky Sports are broadcasting 64 live Premier League games for the 2019/20 season resumption. In addition to the 39 matches already scheduled to be broadcast exclusively live on Sky Sports before the coronavirus interruption, 25 more matches are being broadcast on both Sky Sports Premier League and Sky's free-to-air Pick channel, allowing the whole nation to be part of the return of live sport.
To celebrate the return of the Premier League, Sky Sports have also launched a host of innovative new features and updates to give fans an even more immersive experience and share the moments live with family and friends on virtual platforms.
