da bet7k： Despite their woeful defensive record last season – which ultimately cost them a first Premier League title – Liverpool appear to have done little to solve the problems over the summer. The weekend loss at West Ham illustrated all of the problems of last term, as Martin Skrtel struggled aerially while Simon Mignolet was once again erratic in goal.
da esoccer bet： It’s clear something has to be done, as the addition of Dejan Lovren – one of the division’s better centre-backs across 2013/14 – has done little to stem the flow of goals at the wrong end for the Reds.
Here are FIVE signings Brendan Rodgers could make to sort out the problems…
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CLICK ON VICTOR VALDES TO REVEAL THE FIVE
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It could be worse Nando, you could be one of these guys…
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Victor Valdes
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Liverpool may not have to wait until January to get Valdes on board, making him a potential quick fix to their goalkeeping woes. The Spaniard is currently a free agent after a knee injury blocked his Bosman move from Barcelona to Monaco over the summer, and Brendan Rodgers’ side are already thought to be close to agreeing a contract with him.
The 32-year-old has been erratic down the years at Barca, but having won just about every prize available to him at club and international level along the way, he would command a great deal more respect from Liverpool’s backline than Mignolet.
Joe Hart
Rumours over the weekend suggested that Liverpool are chasing Hart. The England international’s future at Manchester City is anything but clear, with Manuel Pellegrini having signed Willy Caballero over the summer to add further doubt to the stopper’s situation.
Contract talks with City are on-going, and Liverpool are said to be pondering a stunning bid to snatch him from their rivals in January. Like Valdes, Hart would gain more respect from the Anfield backline, which would certainly help to improve their organisation.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos
Arsenal were linked with the Greek utility man over the summer, and reports suggested that Dortmund were open to a deal. Should Brendan Rodgers be looking for cover in every position – which, let’s face it, he must be right about now – the Sokratis is a genuine option.
The 26-year-old can play in any role along the backline or in defensive midfield, and has bags of experience at international level as well as in Italy and Germany. Bids of around £10m-£15m could be enough.
Kevin Strootman
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This would double bubble for Liverpool, who could snap up a long-term replacement for Steven Gerarrd and get one over on bitter rivals Manchester United at the same time. The Red Devils are known to be chasing the Dutchman ahead of January, bit Brendan Rodgers could swoop to beat them to the punch.
Strootman is currently out with a knee injury, but should he return to full fitness before the winter period then a move away from Roma, despite their protestations, could be on. Champions League football at Anfield may tempt him to reject United.
Ron Vlaar
‘Concrete Ron’ has enjoyed a fine latter half of 2014, performing well at the World Cup and slotting seamlessly back into Aston Villa’s impressive rearguard. Man United and Southampton were linked with Vlaar over the summer, and despite talk that the Villains won’t sell, he could be available for the right price.
The Dutchman would certainly bring a commanding presence to Liverpool’s backline, even if his pace may not suit Rodgers’ high-octane game.