Steven Caulker has the chance to breathe new life into his career and help Liverpool out of a jam.
Caulker on Tuesday joined Liverpool on loan from Queens Park Rangers via Southampton, where he was on loan since August, for the remainder of the 2015-16 season, according to LiverpoolFC.com. Caulker ends a disappointing loan spell at Southampton, during which he played rarely for a team struggling around the middle of the Premier League standings. Liverpool has higher expectations and loftier ambitions than Southampton as well as an urgent need for Caulker’s services.
Caulkers union with Liverpool seems to be one that could benefit both sides immediately and perhaps immensely.
Liverpool’s injury crisis has deprived manager Jurgen Klopp of all four regular center backs in recent weeks. Dejan Lovren is at least a week away from contention to play. Martin Skrtel won’t return before February. Mamadou Sakho and Kolo Toure could return for Wednesday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal, but both have struggled to maintain fitness this season and are racing against time to recover from their latest injuries. Tiago Ilori was unconvincing Friday against Exeter City in his 77-minute debut, following his return from a failed loan stint with Aston Villa.
Liverpool will play at least 11 games between now and the end of February, amid all these uncertainties.
Step forward, Caulker, whom Klopp described to Liverpoolfc.com as the “best solution” to his team’s current predicament.
Liverpool and QPR didn’t disclose terms of Caulkers loan agreement. At most, Liverpool must pay a nominal fee up front and all or part of Caulker’s salary until June. The deal preserves short- and long-term flexibility for both Caulker and Liverpool.
Caulker made just eight appearances in all competitions for Southampton this season, as Jose Fonte and Virgil van Dijk form Ronaldo Koeman’s first-choice defensive partnership. Caulker’s lack of game time might cost him sharpness and confidence, but he has played 120 Premier League games for Tottenham, Swansea City, Cardiff City, QPR and Southampton since the start of the 2011-12 season. He also has one appearance for England’s national team — against Sweden in a 2012 exhibition game.
Liverpool risks little and stands to gain more in bringing Caulker to Anfield. The same same applies to Caulker, whose contract with QPR expires in 2018 but probably contains relegation clauses, which would allow him to leave the Championship (English second division) club for less than he’d cost on the open market.
Caulker’s opportunity to play regular games this month is better at Anfield this month than at Southampton. If Klopp and his staff can restore Caulker to his performance level of previous seasons, he might displace one or more of Lovren, Skrtel, Sakho and Toure for a larger than expected part of the decisive second half of the season.
Liverpool is contending for a top-four finish in the Premier League and triumphs in The Capital One Cup (Football League Cup), The FA Cup and The UEFA Europa League. The bigger role Caulker plays in Liverpool’s pursuit of success, the better his chances at building momentum for his club and international careers.
If this best-case scenario doesn’t come to pass, Caulker can re-join QPR or try his luck at a different Premier League club next season. However, if Caulker and Liverpool thrive together, history could remember him as a genuine impact signing — a rare thing in the January transfer window.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@MirrorFootball
