Given Liverpool’s present roster situation, any possible transfer activity must be handled with absolute brutality. There aren’t any obvious holes for Jürgen Klopp to address like there were last summer, and the depth chart is competitive with the best of them.

There are a couple of possible outliers; for example, Liverpool’s January transfer activity could be justified by their thin defense, which is particularly concerning considering the current injury situation. However, if you want to improve any other area, you’ll have to make the tough decision to upgrade one of your starting eleven players.

Although Liverpool’s collective shortcomings have been shown on occasion, the team’s overall performance has resulted in them being top of the Premier League. Plus, it would be unfair to single out any one performer as an issue.

Furthermore, conventional wisdom holds that January is a bad month for the market, which is especially troublesome when trying to find game-changers instead of just adding players to the roster. Just in the past few transfer windows, Liverpool has strengthened their offense with the additions of Luis Díaz and Cody Gakpo, two players who are considered crucial for both the current and future of the team. Specifically, the Colombian has been practically a starter whenever healthy since his arrival.

So, will Liverpool be able to find players of a similar caliber today? The clearest argument for a move is on defense, and Gonçalo Inácio appears to be the ideal candidate for that position. Many have shown their interest in signing him, and Jorge das Transferências has even claimed that Liverpool has inquired about a prospective offer.

A release clause is a way to avoid the availability problem. He was available for $49 million (£35 million/€39 million) until Sporting renegotiated terms in mid-August of last year, so paying $66 million (£52 million/€60 million) is a lot. Although it is no easy task to acquire what Liverpool requires in the January transfer market, the Reds would be successful.

Inácio, a defender with a left foot, might have an immediate impact if he were to come in. He’s clearly not a left-back, but with Trent Alexander-Arnold inverted on the opposite side, the Liverpool squad uses him as a third center-back, so he could certainly fill in until Andy Robertson comes back.

Even while the current outlook is bleak, a January dream would have Robertson returning by the month’s conclusion. It would be unfair to discard Inácio after just a few weeks.

In the long run, he may be ready to replace Virgil van Dijk and share minutes alongside Robertson. The real reason to pay such a high sum to sign him would be to have a left-sided center-back.

Beyond that point, upgrading gets progressively more severe and difficult. Despite Wataru Endō leaving for the Asian Cup as Liverpool’s Player of the Month, Klopp appears to be considering giving more emphasis to the defensive midfield position.

Alexis Mac Allister is expected to regain control of the place in the near future. Despite Endō’s good play, only one player is a permanent fixture in Liverpool 2.0. The World Cup champion demonstrated his passing ability to Diogo Jota prior to the second penalty against Newcastle, showcasing the talent he gives with the ball.

However, Endō has demonstrated that by bringing in a defensive specialist, Liverpool appears more solid, and their attacking production remains mostly unaffected. Therefore, in the long run, it may be necessary to join a true game-changer for the holding role and force Mac Allister into the fight for positions farther up the field.

That need not be an illustrious individual. Even if a January transfer is highly improbable, the ECHO states that Liverpool is pleased with what it has seen from Genoa’s Morten Frendrup. However, the Reds might benefit from moving quickly, if only to finalize a deal before a summer transfer.

The longer Liverpool waits, the greater the price will be if Frendrup truly does have what they want. The data indicates that the 22-year-old is a real destroyer, so his presence would be highly anticipated. However, Endō and Mac Allister are more than capable of handling the role till summer.

Obviously, the club has every right to take its time evaluating Frendrup and other defensive midfield possibilities. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the summer or January; once a defender like Inácio is signed, the ideal next move is definitely someone who can play that job at a high level.

Dream Liverpool XI after January: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk, Inácio/Robertson; Mac Allister, Jones, Szoboszlai; Salah, Núñez, Díaz.