Jamie Carragher admits Liverpool need defenders this transfer window, but insists the club must not waste money

The Anfield legend has warned Jurgen Klopp against making panicked purchases in January

Jamie Carragher believes his former club should not panic-buy this January (Getty Images)

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has warned his old club against panic buying in the transfer window, but admits they will have to bring in defenders to cover their current injury crisis.

The Sky Sports pundit was speaking ahead of a Liverpool Legends match in Sydney, and conceded that the Merseyside club are short in key areas.

Jurgen Klopp’s squad currently have 12 players on the treatment table after both Dejan Lovren and Phillipe Coutinho succumbed to hamstring trouble during Tuesday evening’s Capital One Cup semi-final first-leg victory at Stoke City.

It has left the Reds with only one fit first team centre-back, and Carragher believes that his former club must delve into the transfer market in order to cover the defensive positions in which he served the club on more than 700 occasions.

“There will be people coming in because of the injuries that the club have at the moment,” he revealed. “The squad is not deep enough.”

However, he was quick to warn against signing players for the sake of it, and insists that the club should wait to ensure they only bring in those capable of improving the squad.

“You don’t want to buy someone now in a panic and regret it. If they can get the right player now, get them, if not then they should bide their time and wait for the summer.”

Liverpool completed their first capture of 2016 on Wednesday with the £5.1m signing of midfielder Marko Grujic, but immediately loaned the 19-year-old Serbian back to Red Star Belgrade for the remainder of the campaign.