Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists the club is doing all it can to recruit a new centre-back in the next few days after the latest injury to Joel Matip. The situation has become even more urgent with Matip suffering ankle ligament damage during the 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night. Fabinho, who has stepped in for most of the season, has been ruled out of this weekend’s trip to West Ham United with what is described as a ‘minor muscle injury’. That means Jordan Henderson will have to continue in the back four, with the inexperienced Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams vying to play alongside him. Asked if he believes he will recruit before the February 1 deadline, Klopp said: “I don’t know but we will try. Everyone thinks, ‘oh Liverpool is just fine with the situation and they don’t try’. We try. The situation [on Thursday] didn’t make it easier but it is just still we try to do the right things if that’s possible.” There appears to be a shift in tone from earlier in the window when Klopp suggested it was unlikely he would make a signing in this transfer window. However, he insisted that there have been ongoing efforts to find the right player and it is not just a response to the latest setback. “My thoughts didn’t change, my words might have,” he said. “It’s the same situation as before. We work on this, we don’t always have training and press conferences. If we don’t sleep, we work. That’s what we did all the time. We will see. It’s about a solution, and that’s what we are working on.” Asked if the main consideration was the cost of a deal, or the quality of those who might be available, Klopp added: “Can you separate these two things? I am not sure there is an £80 million centre-back available at the moment and a club thinks, ‘We can get £80m for him so we will sell him’. I don’t think that’s the case. Actually, pretty much I know. This calibre of player the teams would not sell them now. It is both. We need to find the right player and one which suits our financial situation, that’s clear as well.” Although Liverpool will be short of defenders again this weekend, Klopp hopes Matip’s injury will not be as serious as initially feared. “After the game I was pretty emotional. Now there are still glimpses of hope that it’s not serious,” said Klopp. “We don’t have the final result because the scan didn’t happen yet.” So, who could Liverpool look to? Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig) Upamecano is a superb defender who fits Liverpool’s scouting requirements perfectly as a young (22), high-potential player yet to be employed by one the traditional European giant clubs. His next move will be the big one. Upamecano’s statistics from last season’s Champions League even support the theory he’d make a fantastic replacement for, or long-term partner to, Van Dijk: