🆕🗣 Andoni Iraola has been told to sort the "real issue" in Liverpool's team at the heart of their defence with questions being asked of captain Virgil van Dijk.
The Reds leaked 53 goals in the top flight last season - their most in a single 38-game Premier League campaign - as a disappointing fifth-place finish contributed to the sacking of Arne Slot as head coach.
New boss Iraola's centre-back options have been compromised by the departure of Ibrahima Konate to Real Madrid on a free transfer and the ongoing absence of teenager Giovanni Leoni as he recovers from a long-term knee injury, but £60million 21-year-old Jeremy Jacquet has arrived from Rennes.
And former England international Chris Waddle believes the Reds must further strengthen their rearguard during the transfer window while move away from being reliant on 35-year-old Van Dijk, who started every Premier League and Champions League game for Liverpool last season.
"Andoni Iraola has done a marvellous job, nobody can question what he achieved at Bournemouth," said Waddle.
"Last year, while many pointed to tactics (at Liverpool), I believe the real issue was the middle of the defence. If they can strengthen that, there's no reason why Liverpool can't challenge again this season.
"Van Dijk obviously still has a big influence on the Liverpool squad, so you might keep him for another year and use him in specific games. But again, if he's performing well, you play him. But I just think that central position is the key issue for Liverpool.
"He’s not going to get any quicker. He’s always read the game well and has always been technically sound. But when you lose that yard of pace, it's difficult in the Premier League.
"𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒈𝒖𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒌. 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓, 𝒓𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆-𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒇 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒍𝒆𝒅."
