Six players Liverpool should consider signing in the January transfer window

Klopp could well decide to continue with Joe Gomez at left-back until Robertson returns. The Englishman is a wonderfully versatile defender and rarely lets Liverpool down, no matter where he is deployed.

Still, in an ideal world, the Reds would have a specialist at left-back, rather than a stop-gap solution. Hardly surprising, then, that there is talk of a move for Antonee Robinson, who is having a fine season at Fulham, with three goals in 21 appearances in all competitions.

Would the Cottagers really be willing to let the USMNT star go at this stage of the season? It appears unlikely, especially as the 26-year-old's recently-extended contract now runs until 2028. But there's no doubt that Robinson would jump at the chance to join Liverpool, even as a former Everton player!

A chance for Klopp to kill two birds with one stone? With no fit senior left-backs to call upon and Matip's season over, Liverpool are in quite the bind at the back - even accounting for Gomez's aforementioned flexibility and the emergence of the mightily impressive 20-year-old Jarell Quansah.

However, signing Piero Hincapie could solve all of their problems, given the Ecuadorian is not only a highly promising centre-half, he's also capable of playing at left-back. The issue, of course, is that Bayer Leverkusen are reluctant to sell anyone during the winter window, given they're presently riding high at the top of the Bundesliga. They'll need to keep their strong squad intact if they're to have any chance of holding off champions Bayern Munich during the second half of the season.

Still, it's worth pointing out that Liverpool's interest is very real, having been previously confirmed by Hincapie's agent, and that the 21-year-old hasn't been a regular starter for Leverkusen this season. A €50m (£43m/$55m) bid would give Leverkusen's money men plenty to think about - even if Xabi Alonso would obviously be dead against the transfer.

Hincapie's compatriot Willian Pacho has made quite the impact since joining Eintracht Frankfurt from Antwerp during the summer. No other Bundesliga defender has won possession more times than the Ecuador international, who also ranks third for tackles won, eighth for clearances and joint-fifth for interceptions.

Frankfurt are presently sixth in the standings, meaning Europe is a realistic target for Dino Toppmoller's team. However, a decent bid could well bring the German outfit to the negotiating table, with Crystal Palace, Everton and West Ham all said to be considering making a move for the 22-year-old left-footer, who ticks a lot of boxes for Liverpool and would cost significantly less than Hincapie.

Another excellent option for the left-hand side of the centre of Liverpool's defence, Goncalo Inacio has also reportedly attracted the attention of Real Madrid, who have lost both Eder Militao and David Alaba to season-ending injuries, and Arsenal.

The 22-year-old is a regular at Sporting CP and has already scored twice for Portugal, after earning his first cap for his country in March. Once again, though, the question is whether Liverpool would be willing to spend big on a centre-back in January, as there is absolutely no chance of the Primeira Liga leaders accepting an offer for Inacio lower than his £52m ($60m) buy-out clause.

Liverpool didn't move for Joao Palhinha during the summer because of his price and profile. Fulham were demanding £55m ($70m) for a 28-year-old - and that is not the kind of deal that the Reds' recruitment deal were ever likely to recommend.

Nothing has changed in the interim, of course, so it still seems more likely that the Portuguese will end up at Bayern Munich, whom he so nearly joined on deadline day. However, if Liverpool are looking for a proven Premier League defensive midfielder that would immediately make Klopp's starting XI stronger, Palhinha is perfect.

He could genuinely prove a title-race difference-maker - especially if Arsenal's rumoured interest materialised into a transfer.

Just like Hincapie, a seriously attractive proposition for Liverpool because of his versatility. Archie Gray is capable of playing not only in midfield but also at right-back, which obviously throws up the intriguing possibility of the 17-year-old swapping positions with Trent Alexander-Arnold.

With Leeds pushing for promotion back to the Premier League, they would obviously be loath to let a first-team regular leave in January. However, one cannot help but suspect that a deal could be done whereby Liverpool sign the England Under-20 international and loan him back to the Championship side for the remainder of the 2023-24 season - a win-win for everyone involved.