Arne Slot has played down the prospect of entering the transfer market after Jeremie Frimpong suffered a suspected groin injury during Liverpool’s 6-0 win over Qarabag.
Frimpong was forced off inside the opening five minutes as the Reds secured qualification for the Champions League last 16.
The Dutch international will be assessed on Thursday, but his injury further depletes Liverpool’s defensive options, especially at right-back, with Conor Bradley already ruled out for the season due to a serious knee injury.
Wataru Endo replaced the £29m summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, and with Joe Gomez injured and Ibrahima Konate absent on compassionate grounds, Slot declined to discuss the possibility of making a signing ahead of next week’s transfer deadline.
“We as a club always make decisions, as we at least make smart decisions,” the Liverpool head coach said.
“So we not only look at the short term, we also look at the long term. Longer term, that’s why we sign young players as well.”(We sign) very good players, but young ones that can still develop. Now we can see the development with a few.
“And it always depends on, are there players available that we think can help us?”And if there are, can we afford them? And does this also be helpful for the longer term future, because our players come back from injury as well.
“I just said that we don’t have a squad where we have four right-backs and 12 midfielders and three or four No.9s.”That’s not how it works over here. So we have to do smart things for the near future, but also for the longer future. Let’s first see how Jeremie is.
“Maybe he’s not able to play Saturday, but maybe he’s able to play one or two days later. We’re now going to a schedule with one game a week. So that would usually mean less injuries. But you’re never sure.”
Arne Slot added: “It’s obvious that if a player goes out like that, you don’t expect them to play Saturday against Newcastle (United). Maybe I can come back to something I said yesterday, when I said that it might, might, might.
“I think they used the word might, but apparently not everybody is listening very properly to what I say.”
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