Following last night’s shocking news about Joel Matip, Liverpool may now be compelled to make a move for Sporting Lisbon defender Goncalo Inacio.

According to reports, the Cameroonian center-back will be out for months after suffering a knee ligament injury on Sunday, leaving Liverpool low on central defenders.

According to journalist Dean Jones, Liverpool may now feel compelled to make a January acquisition, specifically Inacio from Sporting.

Liverpool have been connected with the Portuguese international for some time, and the Reds could make a move for Inacio, who is thought to have a £52 million release clause.

“This Matip injury is probably going to bring new expectations from the Liverpool fanbase that maybe they go into the market to try and sign a center-back,” Jones remarked. It’s not going to be easy to do it at the highest level.

“The name that has probably been floating around the most since the end of last summer is Goncalo Inacio at Sporting, who Liverpool and Manchester United have both had on their radar for a while.”

“He isn’t cheap. The age, profile, and league he comes from all make sense in terms of how Liverpool would want to step up their construction. It’s only a matter of whether they can achieve it in January.

“I hadn’t really been expectant of it, but now there’s this injury to Matip, it does make me wonder if they’re brave enough to go and do this.”

With news that Matip could be out for several months, Liverpool will be wise to sign a quality defender in the January transfer window.

While Inacio would be an expensive purchase, the Portuguese defender has proved that once he leaves Sporting, he has the potential to go straight to the top.

And Liverpool might be the ideal destination for Inacio, with the Reds in search of a long-term centre-back to join Ibrahima Konate.