Exclusive: Liverpool set sights on signing USA captain Long by Monday
Transfers

Exclusive: Liverpool set sights on signing USA captain Long by Monday

Wayne Veysey
Wayne Veysey

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

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Liverpool a plotting a late-January move for USA captain Aaron Long to solve their growing defensive problems, Football Insider can exclusively reveal.

The former West Ham target is available on a short-term loan from New York Red Bulls.

A Liverpool source has told Football Insider that manager Jurgen Klopp is weighing up a deal for Long, 28, ahead of Monday's transfer cut-off.

New York Red Bulls have made the 18-cap USA international available for a three-month loan with no option to buy.

The MLS season is suspended until April at the earliest due to the coronavirus pandemic, meaning players are seeking game time elsewhere.

Liverpool could offer Long a blockbuster move to the Premier League as they look to ease the injury crisis that reached new levels in Thursday's 3-1 win at Tottenham.

Fabinho, who has been outstanding since slotting into defence in the autumn, missed out due to a muscle injury and the fragile Joel Matip lasted only 45 minutes before being substituted due to yet another injury.

Skipper Jordan Henderson, himself an emergency replacement for Fabinho, was partnered by Nathaniel Phillips in the second half.

Liverpool secured the win that got their title bid back on track but the pressure is on the club's hierarchy to use the transfer market to strengthen in defence.

With Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez ruled out by knee injuries that could sideline them for the rest of the season, there are increasingly few options for the manager to turn to.

In other news, a top pundit has shared to Football Insider a Liverpool centre-back signing reveal amid "leak".

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