Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Had Liverpool known what was coming straight after the January transfer window, perhaps things could have been different.
The Reds chose not to add their options last month, despite not facing the same constraints many of their rivals were amid tightened FFP regulations. In any case, the bombshell of Jürgen Klopp’s announcement that he would be leaving the club quickly saw transfers take a backseat.
With Liverpool riding high at the top of the Premier League, and still in the hunt for three other trophies, there was no pressing need for any new faces. What’s more, players were on their way back from injury and international duty, easing any concerns heading into the business end of the season.
How quickly things can change though. Just over a couple of weeks later, and Liverpool is facing a new injury crisis. As many as 10 players could be out for tomorrow’s visit of Luton, and the timing couldn’t be much worse with a Carabao Cup final looming on Sunday.
There is of course no way Liverpool or Klopp could have predicted this situation. If they could, there’s every chance they might have taken a different stance and dipped their toes into the January market.
As it is though, the German will have to cope with the players already at his disposal. Thankfully, one of the decisions made during the January window will help with that.
As deadline day approached, there was talk of Bobby Clark heading out on loan. The young midfielder had made a handful of appearances for the first team, in particular impressing after coming off the bench during the FA Cup win at Arsenal.
Having signed a new long-term deal in December, it seemed as though the 18-year-old’s development would continue with a temporary move away from Anfield. The ECHO claimed just before deadline day that a Championship club and various League One sides were interested as Liverpool weighed up the call.
As it turned out, Clark stayed put. He has made just the one appearance for the first team since the transfer window closed, having come off the bench during the recent win over Burnley, but we could be about to see the true value of that decision.
