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Liverpool journalist: This Klopp summer transfer fail exposed as folly
By Harry Sykes
Jurgen Klopp’s failure to buy an alternative to principal summer target Virgil van Dijk has been exposed as “folly”, according to a Liverpool journalist who covers all their games.
Liverpool Echo correspondent James Pearce was highly critical of Klopp’s summer business in his appraisal of the team’s 2-2 draw against Sevilla on Wednesday night.
The Merseysiders ripped the Spanish club apart in the first half of the Champions League group stage clash but the visitors rode their luck and capitalised on Liverpool’s glaring defensive weaknesses.
Pearce identified Klopp’s failure to land an alternative to Southampton centre-back Van Dijk as a principal factor in the team’s draw, which followed Saturday’s 5-0 humiliation at the hands of Manchester City.
“The opening stages of this season have exposed the folly of the club’s failure to sign a top-class centre-back this summer,” Pearce wrote in the Liverpool Echo.
“Van Dijk may have proved out of reach but there should have been a Plan B. A major weakness simply wasn’t addressed.”
The Merseysiders now return to domestic action with Saturday’s home clash against Burnley.
Klopp’s side are eight in the Premier League table after the opening four matches, while Sean Dyche’s outfit are one place ahead in seventh, albeit on the same points.
In other Liverpool transfer news, personal terms have been agreed as the Merseysiders finalise the signing of a big-name ace in January.
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