Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp will make signing new defender a priority in January window says Mark Wright

Liverpool will make trying to sign another centre-half a priority in the January transfer window, according to their former player Mark Wright. Since Jurgen Klopp's arrival on Merseyside in October, Liverpool have conceded seven goals in seven appearances, compared to the 10 conceded in eight games under Brendan Rodgers in the opening months of the season.

Despite the slight improvement, the club's backline was exposed by Newcastle United in their 2-0 defeat at St James' Park on Sunday 7 December. Dejan Lovren partnered Martin Skrtel at the heart of defence in that game with Mamadou Sakho ruled out until the end of the year with a knee injury.

Wright, who spent seven years at Anfield between 1991 and 1998, feels his former side were "bullied" in their defeat on Tyneside and believes Klopp may bring in reinforcements in the January mercato.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he brings another centre-back in," Wright told LFC TV, Inside Futbol reports. "Until the weekend Liverpool hadn't really been conceding. On Saturday they got bullied a little but Newcastle, they were a bit more physical than Liverpool were.

"And if you ask me do I think he will bring another centre-half in? I think he probably will. And then it will be good competition all around.

Liverpool have been increasingly linked with Borussia Dortmund's Neven Subotic. While he served as an important first-team player when fit under Klopp's reign at the German club, he has struggled to win over new manager Thomas Tuchel this season.

The Serbia international did return to the Dortmund starting XI on 5 December as they beat Wolfsburg 2-1, but the result has done little to quell speculation over his future at the club.

The Independent reports Klopp is keen to reunite with his former players and Subotic has suggested he could choose to leave, insisting a brief return to the first-team does not mean his problems have been solved.

"It is not like one match catapults you from the bottom to the top," Subotic told reporters. "I'd like that, but the reality looks different. I would love to play and fight all the time. I can't do any more."