"It seems to be a repeating cycle with him" - Liverpool warned about 'red flag' regarding long-term transfer target

It is an open secret that Liverpool are interested in Rennes forward Jeremy Doku to bolster their options in attack. However, the Reds have been warned against pursuing the Belgian winger by football journalist Robin Bairner due to his injury record.

According to Transfermarkt, Jeremy Doku has spent a whopping 183 days on the sidelines since joining Rennes from Anderlecht in the summer of 2020, missing 34 games as a result. Bairner believes this is a red flag Liverpool should pay attention to even though the attacker is highly talented.

“The trouble with Jeremy Doku isn’t necessarily his talent. We’ve seen, particularly in the European Championships, just how good a winger he can be. He was devastating for Belgium against Italy,” Bairner told GiveMeSport (via Football 365).

“But his issue has just consistently been, since he moved to Rennes, staying fit. Again, he’s just been injured, he’s just coming back from injury now. It seems to be a repeating cycle with him.

“He’ll come back for two or three games then find himself injured for two or three months, and he doesn’t really get any consistency in his performances.

“I think that has to be a red flag for a team like Liverpool who are generally so strong in the transfer market, who pick up players who have got a strong mentality, who don’t get injured and can fit into their team straightaway."

It goes without saying that the Reds have been ravaged by injuries this season, with the likes of Thiago Alcantara, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, Harvey Elliot, and Diogo Jota all having spent time on the sidelines.

Bairner argued that adding another injury-prone player to the squad isn't a good thing to do considering their experience.

“Of course, this season, Liverpool have been beset by injury problems. You’re certainly not going to want to pick up an injury-prone winger at this stage of the season,” he said.

Who else is on Liverpool's radar?

Jeremy Doku in action for Belgium at the EURO 2020.

According to TeamTalk, Liverpool will make an attempt to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham to solve their midfield headache in 2023. West Ham United's Declan Rice has been identified as an alternative.

The likes of Milan Skriniar, Youri Tielemans, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Enzo Fernandez and Antonio Silva are also rumored to be on the Reds' radar. It remains to be seen who will end up switching to Anfield in 2023.