Liverpool might boast the second-best defence in the Premier League so far this season but that hasn’t stopped supporters from being eager for reinforcements in January. Admittedly, such a desire partly stems from Arne Slot’s men being increasingly leaky at the back since the November international break.

But the Reds have also been stung by injuries at the back with Joe Gomez the latest man to be sidelined. The England international is yet to return to team training after suffering a hamstring injury against West Ham United last month.

His lay-off coincided with the return of Ibrahima Konate following six weeks out with a knee injury suffered against Real Madrid at the end of November.

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Conor Bradley was out for the same timeframe after injuring his hamstring in the same game while Trent Alexander-Arnold sat out three weeks with the same injury. Kostas Tsimikas has also missed a month with an ankle injury.

Elsewhere, Andy Robertson’s below-par form is the subject of increasing scrutiny, Jarell Quansah has been given few opportunities under Slot. Meanwhile, the futures of both Alexander-Arnold and captain Virgil van Dijk remain uncertain with their current contracts set to expire at the end of the season.

While it is injuries that are the main source of anxiety among supporters, Liverpool have navigated such absences reasonably well. On rare occasions, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo have been utilised as emergency centre-backs, but Slot has still been able to boast a full senior backline throughout the campaign.

However, it would be a surprise if the Reds did not add to their defensive ranks at some point in 2025.

Ironically, they will come up against a defender this weekend who could have been a potential solution for the Reds, be it as long-term Van Dijk replacement, potential partner for the skipper or utility option across the entire back-line.

Sepp van den Berg is enjoying an eye-catching season for Brentford since leaving Liverpool in a £25m deal back in August. He has made 21 appearances for the Bees to date, starting 20 times, having been handed an opportunity that always remained elusive to him at Anfield.

With Thomas Frank’s side switching between a back four and a back five, his game-time has been split across the entire defence. Eleven of his outings have come at centre-back, with eight at right-back and two at left-back.

And his impressive displays even saw him linked with a move to Manchester City earlier in the season.

In hindsight, he would have certainly got opportunities for Liverpool this year, had he stayed put. And, after previously impressing on loan in the Championship with Preston North End and in the Bundesliga with Schalke 04 and Mainz 05, he would have also been well-placed to maybe even succeed Van Dijk one day.

But, having only ever made four appearances for the Reds, the Dutchman ultimately lost patience with his situation at Anfield and wished to move on. He made that clear more than once during the summer, and now has no regrets after being granted an exit.

“Very much enjoying it,” he told reporters, including the ECHO, in the mixed zone at Goodison Park after returning to Merseyside to face Everton earlier in the season. “I’m playing week in week out. Premier League football is what I dreamed of for a long time already.

“To play here as well, to be back in Liverpool is always nice. I’m living the dream. I was very clear from the start that I wanted to play this season.

“At Liverpool, you have two of the best centre backs in the world at the moment. To me, it was the right moment to leave, I’m at the age when I needed to play.

“I’ve done it for many years going out on loan. It was time for me to make the permanent move and establish myself as a Premier League player, and that’s what I’m doing so far. I made the right decision, still a long way to go.”

Van den Berg's decision to leave has certainly paid off, knowing he would have only started at centre-back in the absence of others. Meanwhile, despite being on the cusp of a defensive shortage more than once, Liverpool have not been made to rue it just yet.

And having signed the 23-year-old for an initial £1.3m, they can at least pat themselves on the back for banking a considerable profit.

But it’s been a different story for Fabio Carvalho, who also made the move from the Reds to Brentford back in the summer as he completed a £27.5m transfer.

Like with Van den Berg, Liverpool will be more than pleased with the deal they struck, having only spent an initial £5m to sign the Portuguese. But unlike his past and present team-mate, Carvalho has ultimately struggled in West London.

The 22-year-old has made 21 appearances for the Bees, scoring two goals and recording three assists. But he has only started three times in the Premier League, with Brentford’s FA Cup third-round exit at home to Plymouth Argyle the only outing he has made in 2025.

Meanwhile, Carvalho's father, Victor, made headlines back in November as he urged the forward to leave Brentford. On social media after seeing his son be left as an unused substitute against Everton, he replied to the club's official Instagram account when they posted the full-time score: "Son, you need to get out [of] that club."

Unsurprisingly, Bees supporters were not happy and have turned on the player as a result. But that is not Liverpool's problem, having signed off on an increasingly impressive transfer five months ago.

Selling two fringe players for a combined £52.5m fee back in the summer looked like eye-catching outgoing dealings And even now when considering Van den Berg’s impressive performances - while he could have still enjoyed a role at Anfield if he wished - selling the pair looks even more like good business at the right time for the Reds.