It would be a big, big surprise if Liverpool buy big this January transfer window. Really, all Jurgen Klopp wants is for the multitude of injured players to return to first-team action.
Currently, Mo Salah and Wataru Endo are away with their countries, while Dom Szoboszlai, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Joel Matip, Thiago and Stefan Bajcetic are all injured.
The only time Klopp entered the transfer market to cover for injured players, it really hasn’t worked. Remember Ben Davies, Ozan Kabak and Arthur…?
In the summer though, the club must continue to strengthen.
Here’s a run down of what is required.
Contracts:
Three of Liverpool’s very best players will have only one year left on their deals come the end of this season. Trent, Virgil van Dijk and Salah all have deals which run out in 2025.
It will be costly, but obviously we need to renew them. Trent is a no-brainer. Pay him what he wants. He’ll stay at Liverpool for life. Van Dijk too could end his career at Anfield. He’s easily got four to five very good years left in him based on his performances this season.
Salah is the tricky one. Do we pay the monstrous fee to renew his deal, or try to sell him to Saudi Arabia for £100m and reinvest that money into the team? Salah will be 32-years-old in the summer. Surely the thought of cashing in will tempt FSG, given his age, but Salah is an alien.
He’s not a normal 31-year-old. He doesn’t get injured. The Egyptian King isn’t as fast as he once was but his creativity from the right-wing is still phenomenal and his goal tally the same as it ever was. Is he replaceable? Not really. So maybe giving him a new deal on similar money (he’s on £350k/week, give or take) will be the financially best option, given the transfer fee required to sign someone new…
What’s more, we have seen the situation of Jordan Henderson leaving Saudi and the likes of Roberto Firmino and Fabinho not having especially enjoyable times either. Salah is simply too good from a footballing perspective to make that move yet.
This brings up the possibility of him simply running down his deal and leaving in 2025 for free, which is maybe the worst option for us all things considered but something we might not have any say in.
Goalkeeper
Alisson stays. For as long as he’s still a goalkeeper! We might have to bring in a high-level backup, however. Caoimhín Kelleher is 25-years-old and obviously needs to leave for first-team football. We could get half-decent money for him although in truth, he’s not looked great this term and an upgrade is required anyway.
Defenders
Here’s where it gets interesting. Matip looks likely to leave, so we need a new centre-back to take his place. The emergence of Connor Bradley and how comfortable Joe Gomez is in either fullback position means we might get away with not doing anything in these areas, but really, we need a right-back so Trent can play in midfield whenever required.
So a right-back and a centre-back should be high on the list of priorities.
Midfielders
We still need a young, potentially elite destroyer at no.6. We have Endo, who’s done brilliantly, but he’s in his thirties and another player to compete for minutes in this spot will help massively. After all, we bid over £110m for Moises Caicedo in the summer. Bajcetic will return, of course, and there are huge hopes for him – but it’s important to not put too much pressure on the Spaniard’s shoulders. He’s still a teenager. Personally, I think the Reds were silly to miss out on Manuel Ugarte last summer. The Uruguayan joined PSG and has excelled.
Forwards
Even if Salah stays, we need a right-sided attacker. Michael Olise seems the favourite, although I’d prefer someone faster who can run in-behind and offer a bigger goal threat. Olise is young and definitely has a high ceiling, though – with Premier League experience. It’s an option, but maybe the transfer team will have something more exciting up their sleeves.
Kylian Mbappe will never happen. It’s annoying the rumours have even sprung up again. We simply will not and cannot pay him the wages he requires. He’ll end up at Real Madrid or stay at PSG on something absurd.
Elsewhere, we’re happy with the options. Let’s keep Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz. Good players at a good age.
In conclusion, that’s a backup keeper, a right-back, a centre-back, a holding midfielder and a right-winger. JW Henry – do your worst!
I don’t think Liverpool need a midfield destroyer, we have Trent who I think can evolve into this roll, as for Bajcetic, I think if Klopp and the medical team can introduce him correctly there is no limit to how good he can become, to bring in a number 6 will only get in the way of both players. A player who can take minutes from Salah has to be a priority, his recent injury shows just because he has been free of injury it’s not something that can be counted on, though we have lots of good forward players non that can replace Salah, so that has to be the priority. Regarding defence, I would like to see some of our young wide players given minutes this season before buying.