Liverpool round-up: Keita alternative identified; duo left out for Hoffenheim; Klopp wants signings

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After missing out on Red Bull Leipzig’s Naby Keita, The Guardian now suggest that Liverpool have turned their attentions to Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri. They believe that a deal could be done for €40 million (£34 million), with the likes of Barcelona, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain also interested.

The 26-year-old has already registered two assists in three games to date this season. However, the French club are under no pressure to sell their central midfielder, and may delay any move until after they have played both legs of their Champions League qualifier against Napoli.

Liverpool have a Champions League qualifier of their own to worry about first, and the club will have to face up against Bundesliga side Hoffenheim without two key players in Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge. The club website confirmed the 22 man squad travelling to Germany would not include either player.

Coutinho, who is also surrounded by doubts about his future, is out with a back problem whilst Sturridge has a hamstring strain. Both players were forced to miss the opening game of the season against Watford on Saturday and had been hoping to come back into contention, with a return this weekend against Crystal Palace now looking more likely.

Jurgen Klopp has insisted that with these kinds of injuries, his squad is lacking sufficient depth to compete this season. He is quoted by the Liverpool Echo as hinting that he may look to make more signings this month as he revealed after the draw with Watford. He said:

“We are still working on all parts. We cannot build them. We have to have talks, we’re looking at all parts of the team. The squad at the moment is not too wide for a lot of games because decisive players are not available. But that’s our situation.”

Who those additions could be is unknown, but it is clear that Klopp is not convinced by the shallow depth of his squad which forced him to select youngsters like Dominic Solanke and Marko Grujic on the bench at Vicarage Road on Saturday.