Former England captain Steph Houghton says it is a "big surprise" Liverpool have not signed a defender in January to join the side immediately.
Jeremy Jaquet signed for Liverpool in a £60m deal on Monday but the centre-back will not be joining the club until the summer.
"The club I thought would go into the market for right now is Liverpool, just because of the injuries they have in the defensive unit," Houghton told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.
"It was a discussion even from the beginning of the season in terms of if Virgil van Dijk or Ibrahima Konate picked up an injury.
"Now, Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley are out on that right-hand side and Dominik Szoboszlai is playing at right-back.
"Liverpool have been inconsistent and want to challenge at the end of the season.
"It is a big surprise they have not bought anyone to come in now and just signed a defender for the summer."
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