When Alberto Moreno arrived from Sevilla in the summer of 2014, it was expected that Liverpool had finally got the perfect solution to their left-back crisis and a replacement to John Arne Riise had finally had finally been found.
Alas! In the two seasons that have followed, Alberto Moreno has turned more believers into doubters (rather than doubters into believers) with his unconvincing performances and his horrid show against Sevilla epitomised his Liverpool career.
Liverpool legend Steve McManaman even went as far as to describe the left-back as Sevilla's best player in the second half in the Europa League final.
We look at 5 left-backs who could solve Liverpool's crisis and replace the young Spaniard.
1) Jonas Hector – FC Koln
The Koln defender has been most heavily tipped for Anfield in recent months. Solid at the back and effective going forward, the 26-year-old German full-back stands at 6'1” which could also help Liverpool in defending corners, something the Reds have struggled with this season.
Jurgen Klopp is said to be a keen admirer of the astute defender who has been nicknamed “Mr. Reliable” by his teammates. Hector has scored 4 goals in 120 matches for Koln and will be a welcome addition in the Liverpool setup as he has been diligent in completing his defensive duties and supporting his teammates with accurate crosses.
Presently, Hector is with the German squad at the Euros and is expected to play a vital role for Joachim Loew's side. Although, Liverpool will have to offer a hefty sum for his signature as Koln are adamant about not selling their prized asset.
2) Ricardo Rodriguez – Wolfsburg
23-year-old Ricardo Rodriguez is one of the most established left-backs in Europe and European giants Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have been linked with a move for the Swiss International.
Like Moreno, he is a threat going forward but unlike the latter, the Wolfsburg left-back has been defensively sound too. However, he has come under the scanner for his poor performances in big matches and he needs to improve in that aspect of his game to become a world-class left-back in the future.
Standing at almost 6’, Rodriguez is a commanding figure in the Wolfsburg backline and also has great dribbling skills combined with really decent aerial ability.
Rodriguez has tormented a lot of defenders during his time at Wolfsburg and has successfully restricted opposition wingers in making attacking advances. Signing Rodriguez would definitely be a sign of intent from the Reds.
3) Ryan Bertrand – Southampton
The English fullback has been linked to Liverpool since he was struggling to get a starting spot at Chelsea. Presently, he is one of the Premier League's best defenders and Liverpool could again knock at Southampton's door to ask for their established left-back (because they just can't get enough of players from Southampton, can they?). Bertrand is a modern day full-back who is technically adept and reliable in defence.
Bertrand is tipped for success in the future for club and country. He is tenacious in his tackling and likes to bombard forward to catch the opposition on the counter. Bertrand will be the most viable option for the Merseyside team and could solve their long-standing problem.
The English defender is used to the high intensity of the Premier League and could fit in the starting eleven right from the off.
4) Kieran Gibbs – Arsenal
The 26-year-old Englishman was touted as the next big thing in English football by Arsene Wenger but injuries curtailed the development of the full-back. However, Gibbs has shown with his performances during his time at Arsenal that he can be a threat going forward and can fire in accurate crosses.
Defensively, Gibbs holds the edge over Moreno with his good positional sense combined with his ability to read the game well.
Gibbs has had to play second fiddle to Nacho Monreal in the bygone season and he will be looking for a move away from the Londoners to get more opportunities to display his talent. With Wenger keen on offloading the fullback, Liverpool could seize the opportunity and acquire his services at a bargain price.
5) Raphael Guerreiro – Lorient
While diminutive in size—5'7" and 138 lbs—Guerreiro is a big talent and could be a future star with his electric pace and versatility. Experiencing a big leap in development this past season, Guerreiro has complemented his athleticism with proficiency in the attacking half.
However, defensively he is susceptible to getting beaten by opposition wingers rather easily because of his bad positional sense and buying him would be a risk which might just be worth the gamble for the Reds.
His performances dipped a bit in the second half of the season and that could be an area of concern as consistency has also been lacking with Alberto Moreno throughout his career.
Taking everything into account, signing Guerreiro at a reasonable fee could be a really good piece of business for the Reds.
