Jurgen Klopp reveals why Liverpool have signed Steven Caulker on loan from QPR

JURGEN KLOPP insists Steven Caulker is the best solution for Liverpool because he has Premier League experience and can head the ball.

 

Steven Caulker has joined Liverpool until the end of the season

 

Caulker joined the Reds today on loan until the end of the season.

The England international - capped once in 2012 - will provide cover for Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren and Mamadou Sakho.

And Klopp insists his signing is important because of the injury crisis at the club.

“It was very important for us," Klopp said.

 

"In our situation, four weeks ago we didn’t know we’d have a problem with centre-halves because they were all in the race. At the start of the season, Joe Gomez was also in the squad, so a fifth centre-half - and then the situation changed completely.

“Now, we’ve had to make a decision whether we wanted to get another player for the position.

"The situation is Martin Skrtel is not available for around about the next four-and-a-half weeks, five weeks. Then we have the problem with Dejan – it’s only a little muscle injury.

"I think he’ll be available in one to one-and-a-half weeks. Then you have Mama with a little knee issue – he can play, but it’s not perfect and you cannot bring him three or four times in a row throughout the season.

 

"And it’s the same for Kolo and so would mean we are always in this situation, do we have enough or not? So we thought, ‘Yes, good idea’. 

“We looked for Premier League experience because in this short time, you need that experience. We looked for a good header [of the ball] because that’s what we need – we want to play good pressing, we want to press the opponent and so they have to play long balls.

"If they play long balls, you need people in the last line who can help you with headers.

“And we’ve found it with Steven Caulker. He was not in the best situation in Southampton, didn’t play too much, but this is January and we want to have the best solution for us and we are absolutely convinced that Steven is the best solution for us."