Liverpool eyeing possible loan for QPR's Steven Caulker

Liverpool are looking at the possibility of signing QPR's Steven Caulker on loan to help ease their defensive problems. Manager Jurgen Klopp currently has Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren sidelined by hamstring injuries and although fellow centre-backs Kolo Toure (cramp) and Mamadou Sakho (knee) both look likely to be fit for Wednesday's visit of Arsenal, the German feels he needs more cover.Press Association Sport understands an enquiry has been made to the SkyBet Championship club for the defender, who is currently on loan at Southampton.Caulker has made just eight appearances for the south-coast club - the last of which came against Liverpool in last month's 6-1 Capital One Cup quarter-final defeat - but only one of those has been a Premier League start back in August.On that basis Liverpool hope QPR can cancel his loan deal in order for them to bring the 24-year-old to Merseyside.Liverpool's scouting department are more than familiar with the former Tottenham centre-back as he was a target for previous manager Brendan Rodgers.Borussia Dortmund's Neven Subotic was on the list of names of potential centre-back cover as he too has struggled for pitch time this season but the Bundesliga club's boss Thomas Tuchel has ruled out that possibility.While Liverpool's injury problems may be easing at the back, up front there is no chance of a swift return to action for striker Divock Origi after he underwent a minor knee operation.The Belgium international was expected to be back in training in the next week after a hamstring injury sustained on Boxing Day against Leicester.However, the 20-year-old has had surgery to fix a long-standing issue with his knee.Press Association Sport understands the procedure was just a "clean-up" of the joint but it does mean Origi will be sidelined for another three to four weeks.With Daniel Sturridge still not ready to return from a hamstring strain sustained at Newcastle on December 6 and Danny Ings out for the season after cruciate knee ligament surgery, it leaves manager Klopp with just one fit striker in Christian Benteke.He also has the option of playing Roberto Firmino as a false nine for Wednesday's visit of Arsenal as Benteke was far from convincing in their FA Cup draw at Exeter.

Source: PA