Liverpool turn to a Brendan Rodgers flop to solve defensive injury crisis

Aston Villa's loss could be Liverpool's gain.

Jurgen Klopp may not have to spend big in January after all as the club are expected to welcome one of the many on-loan defenders back to the club this month in an attempt to ease the club's rearguard woes. Tiago Ilori is rated as one of Brendan Rodgers' most expensive flops after singing for the Reds in 2013 for a rumoured £7 million deal from Sporting Lisbon, before spending two entire seasons out on loan with Granada and then FC Girondins de Bordeaux, The Portuguese has spent the first half of this season on loan at Aston Villa but has not played a single minute under Tim Sherwood or Remi Garde with both men unimpressed by the defender The 22-year-old has had his own injury problems but despite returning to full fitness, he is still kicking his heels on the bench at Villa Park which has alerted Liverpool to his willingness to return to Anfield. The defender can play at right back and centre-half and, before his career stalled, was seen as a one of the brightest young Portuguese talents to emerge from the country, having played 10 times for the country's U21 side. Liverpool are desperate for defensive cover as Dejan Lovren, Mamadou Sakho and Martin Skrtel are all out injured. Villa paid £1million to take the player on loan in August with that fee likely to be the only stumbling block in allowing the defender to return to his parent club.