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Andoni Iraola's Liverpool side has already been dealt a blow after Joe Gomez hobbled off with an injury just 10 minutes into the Reds' preseason curtain-raiser against Sunderland.
Gomez was the sole natural senior center back in the squad for Saturday's 4–2 victory over the Black Cats, partnering 18-year-old Mor Talla Ndiaye at the back, but managed only 10 minutes before being forced to leave the field.
"Probably the worst news has been straight away the injury of Joe," Iraola reflected after the match.
"We were pleased because we had gotten through all of training without losing any player. Unfortunately for us, we've immediately lost Joe."
Gomez had to be replaced by fellow 18-year-old Ifeanyi Ndukwe, as Iraola had no other options available, and the manager now faces the daunting task of getting through the remainder of the preseason tour—and potentially even the beginning of the new campaign—critically short of defensive cover.
Virgil van Dijk did not make the trip to the U.S. as he continues his recovery following the World Cup, while Italian youngster Giovanni Leoni remains in the latter stages of rehabilitation from an ACL injury. Summer recruit Jérémy Jacquet has been training alongside the rest of the squad this summer but was absent from the matchday squad on Saturday.
Iraola Reveals Liverpool's Plan for Jacquet
Liverpool spent around $80 million (£60 million) to secure Jacquet's services in early February but allowed him to see out the season with Rennes, where he made just two further appearances before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury.
Having trained with the group for several weeks, Jacquet's exclusion from Saturday's squad raised eyebrows, and Iraola subsequently confirmed the 21-year-old still needs a little more time before he is ready to feature.
"With Jeremy, we decided to take it easy with him," Iraola explained. "He has been a lot of months without playing with a shoulder injury. So, I think we are going to take it easy with him.
"He will play probably the last game of this U.S. tour and he will have time to get some minutes. It's true that we were kind of happy but we've lost one now."
Do Liverpool Need a New Center Back?
Iraola recently acknowledged his squad was "very thin" and flagged concerns at both right back and center back as he edges closer to his first competitive fixture in charge of Liverpool.
Liverpool do have four senior center backs on their books—Van Dijk, Jacquet, Gomez and Leoni—and while those numbers may appear adequate on paper, the reality is far less reassuring for Iraola and the club.
Leoni has been sidelined for roughly 11 months following a serious knee injury and has yet to return to full team training, meaning he cannot be considered a reliable first-team option at this stage. Jacquet's absence has not been as prolonged, but he will clearly still require time to rebuild his fitness and settle into life at a new club.
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Van Dijk and Gomez had appeared set to form the starting center-back partnership when Liverpool travel to St James' Park to take on Newcastle United on August 23, but the Englishman has now returned to the treatment room. Given his unfortunate injury history, no chances will be taken with his recovery.
That leaves Van Dijk—who celebrated his 35th birthday earlier this summer and is not yet back in training as he recuperates from the World Cup—as the only senior option, which goes some way to explaining why Iraola is eager to bring in a new defender.