Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk cover options: short-term fixes, youth players and who they could buy in January

Virgil van Dijk's potentially season-ending injury will have a huge impact on how Liverpool play, with Jurgen Klopp now missing the giant final piece of his masterpiece puzzle. Widely regarded as the best centre-back in the world, Van Dijk brought power, composure, organisation and leadership to a rickety defence, exuding confidence as Liverpool advanced to the next level to win the Premier League and Champions League.

Replacing Van Dijk isn't really an option. Few central defenders are anywhere near as good, the market for centre-backs went nuts long ago, and the 29-year-old will return at some point in the future, but a quick look at how title rivals Manchester City struggled without their own defensive talisman, Aymeric Laporte, for 30 games last season suggests Liverpool must find a short-term solution to traverse this tricky period.

So, what can they do?

Immediate options

Joe Gomez and Joel Matip are the first choice centre-back pair in Van Dijk's absence and if both can stay injury and suspension free, they will play until Klopp gives either a rest. Fabinho was superb at centre-back position in the 2-0 win over Chelsea and provides great cover.

Statistically, Fabinho is an excellent defensive player anyway and though he may lack the positional nous of Matip (through a lack of experience) is tall, strong, aggressive and composed in manic situations. This is how he compared statistically to Van Dijk last season in the Premier League:

Tactically, Fabinho's ball-playing skills from deep could prove invaluable in launching quick attacks from defence to attack to send Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah behind opposition defences. There's no need to panic.

Youth players

Klopp is a big advocate of coaching rather than buying and said during the summer that this season represents a big opportunity for academy graduates to break into the first team and save the club money on new signings, a lot like how youth academies are supposed to work. There are three centre-backs on the fringes of the first team, with all given minutes in Liverpool's pre-season friendlies.

Billy Koumetio

A 17-year-old French centre-back, Koumetio joined Liverpool's academy in January 2019, impressing in training and friendlies against Salzburg and Blackpool so much that he was named in the first team squad for the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal. He is around 6'2 or 6'3 tall with a powerful build and always seems to have time on the ball... at Under-18 level. Clearly has a lot to learn at such a young age but if given the chance could establish himself as a squad player. That he usually plays on the left side of a central defensive pair is another advantage.

Sepp Van Den Berg

A 6'3, Dutch, ball-playing centre-back, the 18-year-old Van Den Berg has already played for the Liverpool first team in FA Cup and Carabao Cup matches last season, though looked a little off the pace as part of a defence which conceded five against Aston Villa and five against Arsenal. Then again, Van Dijk played in a team which let in seven against Aston Villa less than three weeks ago.

Nathaniel Phillips

At 23-years-old, Phillips isn't really a prospect anymore but made 19 appearances at right centre-back during a loan spell at Stuttgart (in the German second division) last season and might be considered experienced enough to provide cover from the bench should something happen to one of Fabinho, Matip or Gomez. Phillips played in the 1-0 FA Cup win over Everton in January, starting alongside Gomez.

Short-term transfer fixes

The registration window for free agents closed on October 16, just days before Van Dijk's unfortunate injury, but Liverpool could look to offer a short-term contract to a couple of realistic options in January.

Adrian Mariappa

The 34-year-old Jamaica international has plenty of Premier League experience and is available after being released by Watford. Wasn't brilliant last season but the same could be said for any of his various teammates who were also relegated.

Makes sense as short-term cover, though might not fit the elite profile of squad player that Klopp has so carefully assembled.

Ezequiel Garay

Garay has 32 caps for Argentina and played for Valencia, Zenit, Benfica, and Real Madrid. Available on a free transfer, at 34-years-old he would provide high level cover, having made five Champions League appearances last season, and has winning experience, making him a more likely fit for the Liverpool dressing room than someone like Mariappa.

Big transfer fixes

Transfer fees are almost always enormous in the January window but Liverpool haven't been put off in the past, signing Van Dijk from Southampton for £75million in 2018, a fee which seemed over the top at the time but is probably the minimum Liverpool would need to pay now for anyone close to the Dutchman's ability.

Liverpool's transfer strategy under Klopp has been identifying players yet to make the jump to a club challenging for top honours, signing the likes of Sadio Mane from Southampton and Gini Wijnaldum from Newcastle rather than star names and supposedly fully developed products from rival big clubs. It's unlikely they'd deviate from that now, making purchases of players like Lazio's Stefan de Vrij, Juventus' Matthijs de Ligt, or Inter Milan's Milan Skriniar highly improbable. There are a few quality options who fit the existing model:

Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig)

One of the best defenders in the Champions League last season, Upamecano is a superb defender and at the perfect stage of his career in terms of Liverpool's scouting, starring at his first club aged 21 and yet to establish himself in the France team. He has seriously impressive statistics too, putting in numbers from last season's Champions League that make him look like a fantastic replacement for, or long-term partner to, Van Dijk.

It's a real surprise that Upamecano still hasn't signed for one of Europe's traditional big names, with Manchester United (and just about anyone else with a transfer budget) heavily linked with a move in the summer, but it could be down to the size of transfer fee. Leipzig are a smaller club than Liverpool in terms of history and fan base but challenge for the Bundesliga and Champions League, and would naturally demand a lot of money for their prized asset.

Conor Coady (Wolves)

Jamie Carragher's attempted wind-up of Coady on Sky Sports, saying that Klopp had named him as a potential replacement for Van Dijk, was an excellent spot by the Wolves defender because it isn't that far fetched.

A natural leader, loud communicator on the pitch, life-long Liverpool supporter and - crucially - talented centre-back, Coady fits the mental profile of a Klopp signing perfectly and has proven himself at international level too, not that he hadn't already impressed with his performances for Wolves over the last two seasons.

As club captain it would cost a lot more money than Liverpool might be prepared to spend to sign the 27-year-old but he would provide far more reliable cover than the departed Dejan Lovren and bring an enthusiasm and determination to the dressing room which few managers could guarantee when making signing. The thing is, his statistics don't particularly back up his ability:

Sometimes the best defenders don't record high tackles, interceptions or headers won because their off-the-ball work and positioning is to such a level that the danger is quashed before they have to get involved. If that were what we saw in Van Dijk's radar too, this might be an avenue worth exploring. Coady is also used to playing in a back three - would he be as effective in a two?

Ben White (Brighton)

If Liverpool were to spend £50million on a defender in January, perhaps they'd look at one who represents better value for money, something they might get from a player four years Coady's junior. White was brilliant at Leeds last season and has adjusted well to the Premier League, playing with the same composure and assured passing that made Brighton so keen not to sell him upon his return from the Championship.

If we compare their data for this season so far, which admittedly is only from five games, we can see that the Brighton player's profile isn't too dissimilar to Van Dijk, with a small spike in 'dribble' which mirrors that of Van Dijk in the 19/20 season. The Liverpool defender's 'attack' stats are always going to be higher than most centre-backs because of the imposing threat he poses at set pieces, scoring five goals last season and four in 2018/19, but it's White's ability on the ball that has drawn interest from club scouts.

Would be an expensive buy but a long-term option who could slot in immediately and who plays at right centre-back. Van Dijk tends to start on the left.

James Tarkowski (Burnley)

Statistically one of the best defenders in the Premier League (although are busy defenders always the best?) Tarkowski has only really been kept at Burnley because his club refuses to sell for anything less than £50million. In terms of the market that price isn't unrealistic but there is better value to be found elsewhere. Tarkowski is a real longshot suggestion but at 27, like Coady, fits the profile of a battling leader who is ready to perform now, and who has yet to make the step to a Champions League level team.

While his defensive data puts him high up the ranking of 'defence' and 'physical', his distribution isn't the best and for a team like Liverpool, who almost always dominate possession, this is relevant.

There are plenty of players available for Liverpool to buy should they wish to invest but Klopp's success at the club owes much to the patient, data-led and forward-thinking approach the scouting team has implemented.

Signing new players is expensive, the wage bill must be considered, and Klopp has stated that he likes to keep a small squad to ensure everyone is happy. A transfer purchase in January might help reach targets and create competition for places, but replacing members of a squad which has achieved so much already could lead to limited game time, stunted career progression, and disharmony. Klopp must decide whether the expense of signing a player anywhere near good enough to replace Van Dijk is worth the massive financial outlay or if he can get by just fine with an already settled team.

Who should replace Virgil van Dijk? Tell us in the comments section below