Liverpool eye January move for international defender to solve injury crisis

LIVERPOOL are reportedly eyeing a January move for Lorient defender Raphael Guerreiro.

 

Raphael Guerreiro in action for Portugal under-21s in the European Championships

 

The 22-year-old France-born Portugal international is believed to have made a shortlist of players that Jurgen Klopp is looking to sign this month, according to French newspaper L'Equipe. 

Guerreiro is understood to have made his intentions of leaving Lorient quite clear in recent months and in light of the Reds' current injury situation, a move for the versatile youngster could be good bit of business for Klopp. 

 

Liverpool currently have nearly an entire team sidelined, with Philippe Coutinho and Dejan Lovren the most recent casualties after picking up hamstring injuries in the 1-0 Capital One Cup semi-final first leg win at Stoke. 

But it is the defence that has been hit the hardest with injury as Lovren, Martin Skrtel and Joe Gomez are all out, with Kolo Toure now the only fit centre-back at Klopp's disposal. 

 

Guerreiro can play in both defence and midfield so he can offer Klopp some much needed versatility, which is echoed by his youth coach Philippe Tranchant at former club Caen,  who claimed: "He can play almost anywhere, from left winger to left-back."

Guerreiro had an impressive 2014-15 season in Ligue 1, scoring seven goals and making four assists, but has not quite hit those heights this term having scored just once in 17 appearances.