Liverpool are keeping tabs on New York Red Bulls centre-back Aaron Long, according to ESPN‘s US Soccer correspondent Jeff Carlisle.
After Fabinho and Joel Matip were added to the club’s injury list, it means the Reds are left with no fit centre-halves, leaving the Premier League champions scrambling to find a short-term fix.
Long has been linked with a move to English Championship side Reading recently, as well as West Ham and a number of teams in France over the past year. Supporters on Twitter are scratching their heads as to why Liverpool are considering a deal for the USA international:
As rogue a signing as Caulker @MJThomas_88 ?
— Scott Thomas (@21790Scott) January 29, 2021
Be better center halves in the liverpool sunday leagues fact
— Sisqo (@daveyjo92596681) January 29, 2021
Nobody available from the Irish League?
— Gary McNally (@GaryMcNally_) January 29, 2021
Bet he comes in and gets injured…
— Julian ? (@01mJulian) January 29, 2021
@JaackDeee pic.twitter.com/qiWQv8MOGh
— Alan Mc Loughlin (@alanmcl_) January 29, 2021
Who?
— The Captain (@Peterson_de3rd) January 29, 2021
He's decent. He's been good in his internationals. Won't compete for a starting spot, but not a bad option for short-term cover.
— Nathan Mowrer (@namowrer) January 29, 2021
It’s a strange story, to say the least. A cheap short-term loan seems to be the aim for the Reds’ sporting director Michael Edwards but surely there must be better options available?
Long has spent his entire career in the United States, having been a reserve for both the Portland Timbers and the Seattle Sounders before finally establishing himself in New York. The 28-year-old only got his first international cap in 2018 and he would be an unknown quantity in the Premier League.