Confirmed: Steven Caulker joins Liverpool on loan, signed on time to play against Arsenal tomorrow

0

Getty Images

The Reds have managed to secure the signing of another defender to help alleviate their ongoing injury crisis at the back

Liverpool have signed Steven Caulker on loan from Queens Park Rangers until the end of the season.

Caulker had been on loan at Southampton, but had found his playing time restricted, with Jose Fonte and Virgil van Dijk favoured in the first-team. 
The 24-year-old was registered before the Premier League’s midday cut-off, so he will be eligible to face Arsenal and could be named in Wednesday’s squad.

The centre-back is on his way to Melwood, and is hoping to arrive at the complex in time to be involved in the Reds’ training session at 4pm.

Jurgen Klopp was keen to add another option to the heart of defence, where Kolo Toure is the only certain option for the showdown with Arsene Wenger's men at Anfield.  

Mamadou Sakho is pushing to be included after shaking off a minor knee injury, but Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel are still sidelined with hamstring strains. 

Tiago Ilori, back from a failed temporary stint at Aston Villa, started the FA Cup third-round draw with Exeter, but is not experienced enough to deal with the club’s Premier League commitments.

Given Liverpool’s packed fixture list and Klopp’s desire not to increase the strain on his centre-backs, the club moved quickly for Caulker.

He had a season-long loan spell at Southampton cancelled by QPR due to lack of game time in order to move to Merseyside, and proved to be the only logical solution on the Reds’ shortlist of options for a defensive recruit. 

Borussia Dortmund made it clear they were unwilling to part with Neven Subotic, who Klopp took to Signal Iduna Park from Mainz. The manager’s plan to have the Serbian feature for him at three different clubs was quickly dashed. 

Inter’s Andrea Ranocchia, who has been courted by Sampdoria and Bologna, was also looked at while Schalke’s Joel Matip did not want to depart in the winter window.

The former Tottenham man would be eligible to play in the Europa League if Liverpool opt to register him. He will be also be available for FA Cup encounters should the Reds get past Exeter in the third round replay, which he cannot feature in due to not being registered for the original tie.

This is the fifth loan spell of Caulker’s career.