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Liverpool's injury crisis has deepened in recent days, as Joel Matip and Fabinho joined the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez on the treatment table. While Jurgen Klopp admitted that both his players could return to the side in a week, reports have emerged that the Reds could sign two central defenders before the January transfer window slams shut.
With less than a day to go before the deadline, Liverpool face a race against time to complete their transfer business. The reigning Premier League champions defeated West Ham 3-1 with an unlikely central defensive partnership of Nat Phillips and Jordan Henderson, with Rhys Williams on the bench as a backup.
With the UEFA Champions League knockout stages and the business end of the Premier League season on the horizon, Liverpool are looking to bolster their rearguard to stand a chance of competing for both titles.
Here are five defenders they could turn to on deadline day to ease their central defensive injury woes.
Ben Davies, DCC, Merih Demiral, Mustafi, Diop
#5 Ben Davies | Preston North End
Although it's not official, it has been reported by various sources that Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign Ben Davies from Preston North End. The Englishman is in the last six months of his contract and is on the verge of joining the reigning champions for a fee believed to be in the region of £2 million.
Davies has been described as an excellent reader of the game by those who have watched him, while his ability to go toe to toe with strikers bigger than him has also been mentioned as a feature of his gameplay. The 25-year-old is expected to have his Liverpool medical later in the day, as he looks set to complete an unlikely move to the Merseyside giants.
#4 Shkodran Mustafi | Arsenal
Shkodran Mustafi is a household name in the Premier League, having been on the books at Arsenal for quite a while now. The German international has often been slated for his error-prone nature and is currently out of favor under Mikel Arteta, as he enters the last five months of his contract.
The 28-year-old is a far from ideal solution at the back for Liverpool, but the Reds are in desperate need of reinforcements and could well turn to him if they fail to land their top targets.
#3 Issa Diop | West Ham United
Issa Diop is a talented defender on his day, but the Frenchman has fallen down the pecking order under David Moyes this season. With Craig Dawson, Fabian Balbuena and Angelo Ogbonna preferred to him, Diop could well be allowed to move on to greener pastures.
The Athletic confirmed that while Liverpool are interested in the 22-year-old, West Ham would only agree to do a deal with the Reds if it included an option to buy after the expiry of his loan deal.
Diop has shown in his time in England that he is more than capable of playing at the top level and could well turn his career around by sealing a move to the Premier League champions.
#2 Duje Caleta-Car | Marseille
According to various sources including the reliable Loic Tanzi of RMC Sport, Liverpool's interest in Marseille's Duje Caleta-Car is genuine. The Reds reportedly approached the Ligue 1 side, but their efforts to sign him were rebuffed as they felt they didn't have enough time to replace the Croatian.
Nevertheless, the deal is not believed to be dead in the water, with Liverpool retaining hope that they can snap him up before the deadline. Caleta-Car is known for his elegance on the ball and has drawn comparisons with Virgil van Dijk for his cross-field diagonals.
Klopp and co face a race against time to snap up the former Red Bull Salzburg defender, with the transfer window set to slam shut in less than 24 hours.
#1 Merih Demiral | Juventus
Merih Demiral is on the comeback trail currently after picking up an injury and Liverpool have reportedly had a 50 million offer rejected for him by Juventus. The Turkish defender is hailed as one of the best young players in the world in his position and made a massive impression for the Bianconeri with his performances.
While Juventus are unlikely to part with him easily, they could well be tempted into selling him if a sizable bid were to arrive on deadline. This one is unlikely before the deadline, but several reports have suggested that he is a player being looked at by the Reds.
