Liverpool’s right-back situation is becoming a serious concern, and the growing list of midfielders and makeshift options filling the position should be a wake-up call for the club’s hierarchy. The January transfer window cannot come soon enough.
Liverpool defender Jeremie Frimpong walks off injured with medical staff during Premier League clash.
Liverpool are a club with ambitions of competing at the highest level, but the current situation at right-back is raising uncomfortable questions about squad depth, recruitment and long-term planning.
Dominik Szoboszlai has been deployed at right-back and now Ryan Gravenberch could be the next player asked to fill the role.
When a team repeatedly has to improvise in one position, it is no longer simply a tactical adjustment. It becomes a squad-building problem that needs to be addressed.
For Liverpool, that problem is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Liverpool Cannot Keep Finding Emergency Solutions at Right-Back
Football managers must be adaptable. Injuries, suspensions and fixture congestion can force even the best teams to make unexpected changes to their starting XI.
However, there is a difference between occasional improvisation and repeatedly relying on players outside their natural positions.
Szoboszlai offers energy, discipline and tactical intelligence. Frimpong brings pace and attacking threat. Gravenberch possesses excellent technical qualities and can influence games from midfield. These are valuable attributes, but Liverpool cannot afford to keep sacrificing players’ natural roles simply to cover a position that lacks a dependable solution.
Every time a midfielder is moved to right-back, another area of the team potentially loses an important option.
That is the bigger concern. Liverpool are not just searching for someone capable of playing at right-back; they need a specialist who understands the defensive responsibilities, positioning, recovery runs and attacking demands of the role.
Ryan Gravenberch at Right-Back Would Highlight the Depth Problem
Gravenberch has qualities that make him important in midfield, particularly his ability to carry the ball, resist pressure and progress possession through the centre of the pitch.
Moving him to right-back might provide a temporary solution, depending on the circumstances, but it would also risk weakening Liverpool’s midfield options.
A player can be versatile without being the right long-term answer to every position that needs cover.
Liverpool need Gravenberch to contribute where his qualities have the greatest impact. The same principle applies to Szoboszlai, whose energy, creativity and pressing ability can be crucial in midfield.
If the club continues moving key midfielders into defensive positions, it could create a chain reaction across the team. One injury or absence then forces another adjustment, making it harder to establish consistency in selection and performance.
That is not a sustainable approach for a club competing across multiple competitions.
Why Liverpool Must Prioritise a Right-Back in January
The January transfer window presents Liverpool with an opportunity to address a weakness that could become more damaging as the season progresses.
A natural right-back would provide greater stability, improve competition for places and allow the manager to select players in their preferred positions.
More importantly, the right signing would give Liverpool tactical flexibility without forcing constant compromises elsewhere on the pitch.
The recruitment team must identify a player who fits the club’s footballing philosophy: someone comfortable in possession, capable of defending one-on-one, intelligent in pressing situations and athletic enough to cope with the demands of modern Premier League football.
Liverpool should not sign a player simply because the position needs filling. Recruitment must be strategic, with the focus on finding someone who can contribute immediately while offering value over the long term.
If the ideal target is available in January, the club should seriously consider making its move rather than allowing the problem to drag on until the summer.
FSG and Liverpool’s Recruitment Team Must Act
Liverpool’s hierarchy cannot afford to overlook the importance of squad balance.
A team does not become stronger simply by accumulating talented players. It becomes stronger when those players are available in the right positions, with adequate depth to withstand injuries and demanding schedules.
The right-back situation raises questions about whether Liverpool have sufficient cover in a position that requires considerable physical effort, tactical awareness and consistency.
FSG and the recruitment team must recognise that repeatedly using emergency options is not a substitute for proper squad planning.
The January window will not offer unlimited opportunities, and the market can be difficult to navigate midway through a season. Nevertheless, those challenges should encourage Liverpool to prepare early, identify realistic targets and make decisive moves when the right opportunity presents itself.
Waiting until the problem becomes even more serious would be a needless risk.
Liverpool Need a Specialist, Not Another Makeshift Right-Back
The message is straightforward: Liverpool need to address their right-back situation in January.
Szoboszlai, Frimpong, Araújo and potentially Gravenberch have all been part of the conversation around filling the position. But the continued need to consider alternative solutions highlights why a reliable, natural right-back is so important.
Versatility is an asset, but it should complement a well-balanced squad rather than compensate for a persistent weakness.
Liverpool have ambitions that demand consistency, depth and intelligent recruitment. If the club wants to maintain its competitiveness throughout the season, strengthening right-back must be treated as a serious priority.
January is approaching, and Liverpool must act. The right-back crisis needs a proper solution, not another temporary fix.
Final Verdict
Liverpool cannot continue moving midfielders into defence and expect the situation to resolve itself. The club needs a dependable specialist right-back who can strengthen the starting XI, provide genuine competition and allow other players to perform in their natural positions.
The question is no longer whether Liverpool should explore the market. It is whether the club will act decisively enough to address the problem before it costs the team valuable points.
Related: Víctor Muñoz Could Become One of the Signings of the Season for Liverpool
