Should Liverpool sign Ndidi and convert Fabinho into a centre half permanently? Opinion
Opinion

Should Liverpool sign Ndidi and convert Fabinho into a centre half permanently?

Should Liverpool sign Ndidi and convert Fabinho into a centre half permanently?

Liverpool should sign Wilfred Ndidi from Leicester City and keep Fabinho at centre back even when Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk return to fitness, writes Anfield Central editor Michael Mongie.

Ndidi is absolutely vital to any ambitions that Leicester have of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

The eight games that the Foxes were without the Nigerian powerhouse will be considered the most tricky of the season when Brendan Rodgers looks back on this season such is his influence in the middle of the season.

Given how talented the 24-year-old midfielder is, Liverpool should consider signing him as an alternative to signing a centre back in the wake of Fabinho's excellent form at the back.

Fabinho has become the most important player at the club this season amid an injury crisis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY THE TELEGRAPH.
Fabinho has become the most important player at the club this season amid an injury crisis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY THE TELEGRAPH.

His ability to win 1 v 1 situations regularly after playing as a holding midfielder for several years is even more impressive when these duels with attackers come in the 18-yard area.

Add his tackling and interceptions to his ability to play comfortably on the ball and you have close to the perfect central defender. His aerial ability is good but not great although when you consider he plays alongside 6 foot 5 Matip, this isn't much of an issue.

And if he were to be played alongside Virgil van Dijk, it becomes even more of a non-issue.

Converting Fabinho into a centre back also depends largely on the fitness of Joel Matip and his future at the club because converting the Brazilian into a defender also means that the Reds would go from having just one fit senior centre half to having four.

Without injuries, Liverpool have the strongest defensive players in the world. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY GOAL.
Without injuries, Liverpool have the strongest defensive players in the world. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY GOAL.

The main thing to take from this article is that despite serious long-term injuries to van Dijk and Gomez, Jurgen Klopp still has a strong base to work with and shouldn't be too concerned about his defensive options unless one of Fabinho and Matip is ruled out for several weeks or more.

Signing Ndidi would only make sense in January as it would give Klopp more options to see the season out but given that Ndidi is one of the Foxes' most important players, it's unlikely that he would come cheap.

His price would be further inflated by the fact that his terms at the King Power Stadium only expire in 2024 and that Leicester will be all too aware that Liverpool could do with extra hands at the deck.

Rodgers would not let Ndidi go unless Liverpool spent the big bucks. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY EUROSPORT.
Rodgers would not let Ndidi go unless Liverpool spent the big bucks. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY EUROSPORT.

While Klopp will be feeling the injuries to van Dijk and Gomez, if you ignored the 7-2 fluke defeat at Villa Park, Liverpool would have the joint best defensive record in the division this season.

Regardless of their issues at the back, the Reds are sitting pretty at the top of the table thanks to a 7-0 win over Crystal Palace.

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