Liverpool should have signed a left-back on deadline day says Jan Molby

Former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby has expressed his surprise that the club did not pursue a new left back in the twilight of the summer transfer window despite being continually linked with Germany's Jonas Hector. The Reds were one of few clubs to conclude their business before deadline day, leaving their rivals to scramble around for late deals.

Jurgen Klopp made six new additions during the summer, with his final signing coming as far back as July in the form of Georginio Wijnaldum from Newcastle United. The early business allowed the club to concentrate of outgoings for the remainder of the window with Luis Alberto, Mario Balotelli, Andre Wisdom and Lazar Markovic all leaving on permanent or loan deals.

Despite the German being content with his squad, there remains a weakness for Liverpool at left-back where James Milner is being forced to fill in ahead of the error-strewn Alberto Moreno and out-of-favour Mamadou Sakho. The club were linked with a £15.2m move for Cologne full-back Hector [according to Sport] but resisted making a move at the 11<sup>th hour.

And Molby is astonished that Liverpool have left themselves with such few options in a key position for the first half of the campaign. Moreno has been widely criticised for mistakes in the Europa League final against Sevilla last May and the Premier League opener at Arsenal, meaning his future is uncertain.

"All the indications were that it was going to be a quiet transfer deadline day for Liverpool and so it proved," he told the Liverpool Echo. "Jurgen Klopp had said he's done his business and while I got the impression a few people were doubting him and thought he would go back for a left-back, he was true to his word. He'd got the players he wanted.

"It was all about the outs rather than the ins at Anfield. The squad was getting too big and you need to make room for some of the younger players so it was time to move a few players on. I think I'd probably have gone back in for a left-back because it's a long way back for Alberto Moreno I feel.

"Certainly James Milner must continue there in the short term. Of course there's the question of which left-back they could have got. I thought the whole idea of Jonas Hector signing a new deal at Cologne was because there'd be a buy-out clause in it which would make the transfer easier but it didn't materialise."