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Who should Liverpool sign as left-back cover?

Andy Robertson

It is difficult to improve the world’s best team. Liverpool have one of the best starting line-ups in Europe. However, many feel that improvements are needed throughout the squad, particularly at left-back.

The midfield depth is fantastic. The center-back cover is very good too.

Hopefully, Adrian won’t have to play as much in the future as he has had to this season. Despite his Champions League nightmare, he is good enough to play the odd game.

The front three depth is set to be sorted by the expected signing of Timo Werner. Taki Minamino, Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri are all very capable of playing the part-time roles that they have within the squad.

Neco Williams looks ready to make the step up and get more minutes at right-back. He has shone in the few appearances that he has made this season and seems to be an ideal deputy for Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The only real area that needs vast improvement is at left-back.

Andy Robertson is the best left-back in the world. However, if he suffered an injury, Jurgen Klopp would have a big issue.

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Yes, James Milner could step in and do an admirable job. But he is 34. He is also right-footed.

Instead of providing first-time delivery like Robertson, he often checks back on to his right foot. This slows down attacks and limits scoring opportunities to a certain degree.

Neither Yasser Larouci nor Adam Lewis are as complete as Neco Williams.

Ideally, Liverpool would spend on a specialist left-back. The problem is, whoever comes in would have to be happy with playing second fiddle to Robertson.

They would also have to be relatively cheap, as there is not much point in spending big money on a player who will not be a regular starter.

Here, we take a look at some possible targets.

The relegated market

Liverpool have signed players from relegated teams in recent years, to great success.

Both Robertson and Gini Wijnaldum were signed after suffering relegation. Both have become mainstays in the side.

Players can often be bought for cheap fees as relegated teams need money in quickly due to the fact that they no longer have Premier League TV income. They are often desperate to get high earners off the wage bill.

Fortunately for Liverpool, there are two outstanding options at left-back playing for the Premier League’s bottom two. At least one of Aston Villa and Norwich will go down, if not both.

Matt Targett

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They both have left-backs that are young, British and likely to be available on the cheap.

These are Matt Targett at Villa, and Jamal Lewis at Norwich.

While Targett has performed better this season, at 22, Lewis is two years younger. He also earned rave reviews in the Championship, while Targett has flown somewhat under the radar.

Lewis is a Norwich academy product.

Jamal Lewis

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90 Min reports that the Canaries would look for around £20m, but if they are relegated, given the current financial climate, they would surely accept less.

As mentioned, Targett has fared better than Lewis in his first season at Villa Park.

He cost £13.95m to sign from Southampton. Villa would probably look for at least this sum if Liverpool try to sign him.

Targett is a more likely and probably a better option. He is a better defender than Lewis, performing 4.1 tackles and interceptions a game, compared to Lewis’ 2.6 (per Who Scored).

According to Understat, he also has 3.13 expected assists, which is a decent number in a poor side.

Both players are young enough to improve, probably not that expensive and probably happy to sign for Liverpool.

There are certainly worse options as left-back cover.

The European market

There have been a few young left-backs who have performed fantastically for clubs across the continent this season.

One of these is Ecuadorian Pervis Estupinan. He has earned rave reviews at La Liga side Osasuna.

Estupinan

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The 22-year-old is a strong dribbler and a good crosser, with three assists this season.

There may be some question marks over him defensively. However, he has good recovery pace, which also makes him difficult to beat in one-on-ones.

Interestingly, he has actually been a Watford player since 2016. He is yet to play for the Hornets. Instead, he has spent four loan spells in Spain.

While he is due to spend another season at Osasuna, Watford may call him back in order to sell this summer.

Atletico Madrid and Manchester United have been linked by Expresso, as well as a host of Italian clubs.

He may not be content with warming the Liverpool bench, but if he did sign he would be an exciting addition.

There is also Feyenoord academy graduate Tyrell Malacia.

Malacia

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20-year-old Malacia has shone in the Eredivisie this season, with three assists in 12 games.

Like Estupinan, he is lightning fast. He also displays good match intelligence, and makes an average 3.3 tackles per game in both the league and Europa League, per Who Scored.

Malacia profiles similarly to Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Alphonso Davies, using pace as his main weapon going both backwards and forwards.

He is not an outstanding crosser just yet, but at 20, this will improve.

Yes, there is a small sample size as he has only played two half-seasons of professional football. But it is clear that he has all the raw materials to succeed.

There is always excellent value coming out of Holland, and Malacia may be worth a cheap gamble as cover for Andy Robertson.

Others

West Ham’s Scouser Aaron Cresswell is often tipped for a move to Liverpool.

Cresswell

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The ex-Reds youth player would of course jump at the chance to play second fiddle at Anfield, but at 30, it seems his time has passed.

Adam Masina and Charlie Taylor are other Premier League options.

On the continent, there is Ghislain Konan at Reims, Owen Wijndal at AZ Alkmaar and Max Clarke at Vitesse.  All have had very good seasons and could provide decent cover at left-back.

Layvin Kurzawa looks set to leave PSG on a free this summer, so he could also be worth a look.

It is important to remember that Liverpool will not buy someone as good as Andy Robertson.

The club will not spend over £20 million on someone who will probably play 5-10 games a season.

Going on these criteria, the options mentioned could be best placed to become Liverpool’s latest left-back.