Agreeing a deadline-day deal for a centre-back isn't unusual for Liverpool.
They were in exactly that position the last time the clock ticked down on the transfer window closing.
But rather than desperately looking to bolster their rearguard, back in October the Reds were happy to facilitate a present defender seeking pastures new.
Instead, the departure of Nat Phillips, with a number of Championship clubs interested, ultimately failed to materialise.
And how Liverpool have been grateful for that since.
With Fabinho and Joel Matip having joined Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez on the sidelines, Phillips is expected to line up alongside Jordan Henderson at the heart of the Reds defence for Sunday's Premier League trip to West Ham United.
The duo were together during the second half of Thursday's morale-boosting 3-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool's 16th different centre-back pairing of an injury-ravaged campaign.
"Nat Phillips we thought would be transferred, but at the last second it didn’t happen," admitted Klopp earlier this season.
"We already brought him back from Stuttgart for one game last season against Everton in which he did really well.”
That 1-0 FA Cup third round win in January 2020 represented Phillips' only senior Liverpool appearance before this campaign.
Indeed, an indication of where he placed in the pecking order following his failed exit is that he was omitted from the Reds' Champions League squad, although the 23-year-old is almost certain to be included when the list for the knockout stages is confirmed on Monday evening.
It was against West Ham at Anfield back in October that Phillips was handed his second Reds' outing alongside Joe Gomez, and produced a man-of-the-match display as Liverpool won 2-1.
“He’s a brilliant guy, smart guy, intelligent, everything,” said Klopp. "He knows everything about himself as a footballer.
“He knows - we laugh about it - I was not easy on the eye, he’s not easy on the eye, we're both not Messi but who cares? In the air, he’s a monster."
Phillips knows his limitations as well as his strengths. But having dominated Sebastian Haller in the air that evening, the Liverpool defender will face a different sort of challenge at the London Stadium against the hustle, bustle and pace of Michail Antonio and clever movement of Jarrod Bowen.
The Hammers are revived under David Moyes, winning their last six games in all competitions to stand just two points adrift of fourth-placed Liverpool.
In truth, Phillips can count himself somewhat unfortunate not to have featured more this season, not least given his experience gained from featuring in a successful promotion chase with Stuttgart in the German second tier last year.
His only other appearances this campaign have come as a starter in the draws at Brighton and Hove Albion and Newcastle United. By contrast, 19-year-old Rhys Williams has made 12 outings, although half were in Europe for which Phillips was not eligible.
Liverpool will hope they can bring in another senior centre-back ahead of the deadline on Monday evening, which would also benefit Phillips during training.
Until then, though, Klopp will once again look to the Reds' most unexpected first-team solution.
