Liverpool: What to do to challenge for the title next season

Virgil van Dijk has been a key player for the Reds since his signing, however, improvements are still needed in defence.

No matter how many goals Liverpool scored this season, there was always a sense of underlying vulnerability. Van Dijk’s arrival from Southampton for £75 million in January patched up some of those issues, but Dejan Lovren is still a weak link.

Klopp’s recent defensive additions have been inspired with Andrew Robertson having a phenomenal season and Trent Alexander-Arnold showing maturity beyond his years. It is time for Klopp to ensure that his powerful attack is coming from a strong base.

A solid central defensive partnership will give his side additional confidence going forward. Lovren has an unfortunate habit of following up on a good run of form with a shockingly poor game. That kind of inconsistency is the bane of any Premier League side. The central partnership is where any side’s defensive confidence is built, and mistakes in that position can undermine the side’s morale as a whole.

Good centre backs are at a premium in today’s inflated transfer market. Van Dijk himself is an example of that. Manchester City have spent hundreds of millions on their defence over the last few years alone. Klopp is an enticing manager to work for, and he needs to leverage this to sign a new partner for van Dijk. Lovren is still useful, but he should not be more than a backup option.