Liverpool carry out Ragnar Klavan medical
Defender Ragnar Klavan's medical at Liverpool is under way ahead of his £5million move from Augsburg.
The vastly-experienced Estonia international has been brought in as cover at centre-back as Mamadou Sakho and Joe Gomez both currently have injuries and Tiago Ilori, who could have been a fall-back option, is heading to the Rio Olympics with Portugal.
Klavan has more than 100 caps for his country and has had four seasons in the Bundesliga. Jurgen Klopp sees him as the ideal man to offer back-up and leadership in much the same way as Kolo Toure did before his departure this summer.
It is understood a deal for Klavan is likely to be concluded on Wednesday.
Klopp's new first-choice centre-back for the coming season Joel Matip escaped serious injury to his ankle in Sunday's friendly win at Wigan.
The Cameroon international, a free transfer signing from Schalke, sustained bruising to the joint and while he is unlikely to play in Wednesday's friendly at Huddersfield he will be on the flight to the United States the following morning as the club's tour of America begins.
After Kolo Toure's departure there was a lack of experience in the centre-back slot which the Reds have now filled with Klavan providing he passes the medical.
With Martin Skrtel also ending his career with Liverpool after eight-years at the club, the need for an experienced head in central defence became more pressing. Skrtel signed for Turkish club Fenerbahce earlier in the transfer window after his Euro 2016 exploits with Slovakia.
Klavan spent seven years in Holland before his move to Germany, and he won the Eredivise in 2009 playing for AZ Alkmaar after being signed by Louis van Gaal from Heracles.
The Estonian was already on Klopp's radar and the German knew Klavan well from his time managing Borussia Dortmund.
Source: MailOnline
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