With just three weeks remaining until the January transfer window shuts, Liverpool have had a relatively quiet month so far. The Reds have bolstered their academy with the additions of Mor Talla Ndiaye and Noah Adekoya, while James Norris has been sold to Shelbourne.
Meanwhile, James McConnell, Owen Beck and James Balagizi have returned from loan spells. Despite plenty of rumours, there hasn’t been any significant activity, which aligns with Liverpool’s expectations. However, with Conor Bradley now sidelined for the season due to a serious knee injury, it remains to be seen whether this will prompt a change in strategy during the final 21 days of the mid-season transfer window.
Liverpool were already without Giovanni Leoni for the rest of the season following an ACL surgery after his debut in September, while Alexander Isak is also out long-term after fracturing his leg in last month’s victory over Tottenham.
Injuries have also kept Hugo Ekitike and Wataru Endo off the pitch in recent weeks, although both are nearing their return. Mohamed Salah is also expected back next week after the Africa Cup of Nations concludes.
But even with these players returning, Arne Slot’s squad will still be stretched thin. With the January transfer window currently open, it’s easy to speculate that it could provide potential solutions.
Regrettably, Liverpool’s options are currently limited, having filled their allocation of 17 foreign players in both their Premier League and Champions League squads. Consequently, they can only add homegrown talent to their ranks unless they sell or drop any of their overseas stars.
However, they remain keen on Marc Guehi, whose contract expires at the end of the season, despite Crystal Palace thwarting a £35m bid for the England international at the last minute on deadline day in the summer.
While it was anticipated that Guehi would complete the season at Selhurst Park before choosing his next club on a free transfer at the end of the term, Bradley’s injury could prompt Liverpool to accelerate their transfer plans.
With ample time remaining for Liverpool to make moves if they wish, we examine what an ideal transfer window might look like for the club over the coming three weeks….
Marc Guehi snubs Man City for Liverpool
This is an obvious starting point. Since Leoni’s ACL injury, the Reds have been lacking defensive depth, a situation further highlighted by Bradley’s own serious knee problem.
Although Guehi is a centre-back rather than a right-back, his addition would provide another option in central defence and allow the injury-prone Joe Gomez to fill in for Bradley at right-back.
The Palace skipper was on the brink of joining Liverpool last summer, with a £35m deal in place, only for his current club to have a last-minute change of heart after failing to secure a replacement.
Recent rumours indicate that it might now cost more to prise Guehi away from the Eagles, especially with Manchester City reportedly considering their own bid due to multiple injuries in their defence.
While ideally, Liverpool would wait and sign Guehi on a free transfer in the summer, bringing such plans forward could help address their defensive shortage.
Sign exciting forward
In terms of attacking options, Liverpool had been strongly linked with Antoine Semenyo, but never made a move for the Ghana international before he transferred from Bournemouth to Manchester City. Like Guehi, Semenyo would have counted as homegrown, meaning he could have joined Liverpool without necessitating any senior departures.
Liverpool’s decision not to compete with City for Semenyo’s signature underscored their potential shortfall up front, particularly after selling Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich. This situation hasn’t been helped by Isak’s leg fracture, although Ekitike and Salah will soon be available again.
Meanwhile, Rio Ngumoha’s chances have remained limited as Slot carefully manages the young player, and Federico Chiesa continues to play a minor role.
Juventus’ reported interest in re-signing their former forward could provide Liverpool with an opportunity to bring in a player more suited to Slot’s attacking vision, without the need to fulfil homegrown player requirements. High-profile players such as Bradley Barcola, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr and Michael Olise have all been linked with moves to Anfield recently.
While it may seem like wishful thinking to expect such a high-profile signing mid-season, let’s indulge in the fantasy that one of these star names could be more than just a ‘Football Manager’ dream.
Recall Harvey Elliott
Harvey Elliott’s loan spell at Aston Villa has not gone as planned. The midfielder has only made five appearances and it’s clear from Unai Emery’s comments that Villa have no intention of making the move permanent.
As a result, Elliott finds himself in a difficult position, having not played since early October and failing to make a Premier League matchday squad since a victory over Tottenham in mid-October. Given that Villa would be obliged to sign him for £35m if he makes 10 appearances, his prospects are unlikely to improve if he remains there.
Liverpool do not have a recall clause for Elliott, meaning Villa would need to initiate discussions if they wish to return the midfielder to Anfield. However, this would likely involve financial penalties – something Villa are keen to avoid, especially as their hesitation to spend £35m on the loanee is partly due to their efforts to comply with PSR.
Having played for the Reds against Newcastle before his loan move to Villa, Elliott is also barred from joining another European team in January due to FIFA rules.
But wouldn’t it be best for him to simply rejoin Liverpool’s squad for the second half of the season?
Granted, he had a limited role under Slot last season and would probably remain a squad player. But such a situation is still preferable to his current predicament at Villa Park.
Given Liverpool’s stretched resources, there would still be a part for him to play and, as a homegrown talent, there’s already a spot in the Reds’ squad for him.
Back at Anfield, Liverpool would have more control over his future and transfer value, even if it ultimately leads to a summer departure.
Trio handed new contracts
Ibrahima Konate’s contract expires at the end of the season and speculation about his future has been a distraction amidst inconsistent performances from the Frenchman.
In an ideal scenario, he would sign a contract extension and return to top form as Liverpool enjoy a significantly improved second half of the season.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch are also two key figures in Liverpool’s squad, and their contracts will have two years remaining come the summer.
It would be beneficial to see both players sign extensions well before any potential contract drama begins – Anfield has seen enough of that over the past couple of years.