Today’s Liverpool FC transfer round-up sees plenty of talk around key targets and summer plans
21:55, 09 Jan 2026Updated 23:00, 09 Jan 2026
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi is wanted by a host of clubs including Liverpool (Image: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
Nine days into the January transfer window and Liverpool have been quietly active. Over the last week the Reds have signed 19-year old Scouser Noah Adekoya from Burnley, where the promising defender has plied his trade since under-12s level. And tonight he been joined in the academy by Mor Ndiaye, 18, while another highly rated young centre-back, Austria youth international Ifeanyi Ndukwe, 17, is set to arrive in the summer.
Still, fans are crying out for senior reinforcements, particularly after Conor Bradley‘s nasty landing against Arsenal last night (January 8), which saw him stretchered off in stoppage time. The Marc Guehi speculation rages as ever, while plenty of talk continues to bubble around reinforcements for the injury-hit forward line. However, one attacker who will not be signing for Liverpool is Antoine Semenyo, whose £64m transfer to Manchester City was confirmed this morning.
Fear not though, as here we round-up all the latest gossip and rumours circulating around the Reds’ potential transfer dealings.
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Marc Guehi is wanted by Arsenal boss Mikel Artera (inset) as well as Arne Slot’s Liverpool and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City(Image: )
Never a day goes by without another update on the future of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, who entered the final six months of his deal on the turning of the year. Yesterday lunchtime (January 8), our colleagues at The Mirror reported that Manchester City were confident of landing the 25-year-old in a cut-price £30m deal “in the coming days”, with the centre-half keen to test his mettle under Pep Guardiola‘s tutelage.
Later that same day, however, The Mirror‘s chief football writer, John Cross, reported that Arsenal have entered the race for the England international. Quite where Guehi would fit into Mikel Arteta‘s army of centre-halves is unclear, the Gunners having signed Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie in the summer. According to Cross, Arsenal nevertheless “remain big admirers” and will be attentive to further developments ahead of trying to sign Guehi on a free when his contract expires.
The reliable David Ornstein at The Athletic seemed to corroborate the latter report in a tweet that evening, repeating Cross’ claim that both Liverpool and Arsenal retain an interest in the defender for the summer, but City are ready to strike “immediately”.
And despite other reports that Palace’s asking price for an early exit would exceed the £35m agreed with Liverpool in the summer, Sky Sports have reported today that they will consider offers below that fee. According to Sky, the Eagles “believe Liverpool could try to sign him this month too”.
Is anyone else’s head hurting?
Bayern Munich consider Liverpool ‘target’
Yan Diomande of RB Leipzig(Image: Boris Streubel/Getty Images)
Yan Diomande was the subject of a wild claim by Africafoot covered in this column earlier this week. The RB Leipzig winger, reports of whose €90m (£78m) move to Manchester United were premature, nonetheless seems to be on the radar of various big clubs for a summer move – including Liverpool.
Christian Falk – head of football at BILD – reported today via CFBayernInsider that the 19-year-old Ivorian is “on the shortlist” for the Bavarian giants. The German champions are seeking a younger player to compete with former Reds star Luis Diaz – who has just dropped his first single – on the left of their attack, and are also considering FC Koln’s Said El Mala.
Nevertheless, Falk isn’t expecting any movement ahead of the summer due to Diaz’s form, and the huge fee Red Bull are expected to demand for their most prized asset. Interest from Liverpool along with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City could see Bayern priced out of a deal for Diomande.
Reds who fancy a bit of scouting can see Diomande in action against Mohamed Salah‘s Egypt at AFCON tomorrow (January 10). The game kicks-off at 7pm and coverage will start on Channel 4 at 6:30pm.
Liverpool and Arsenal make Bradley Barcola ‘enquiries’
Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool (R) tackles Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain last season (Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola wowed Anfield with his dribbling technique as Liverpool were narrowly beaten by the eventual European champions last year. Plenty of reports linking him with a permanent move to L4 as a replacement for Luis Diaz emerged in the summer, only for the Reds to opt against signing another winger to keep the pathway open for Rio Ngumoha.
While Ngumoha’s qualities are undeniable, he has failed to make the impact on the first team many expected – perhaps prematurely – coming off the back end of pre-season. Arguably, Arne Slot could entrust his starlet with more minutes, but that hasn’t stopped speculation coming back to the fore about a return for the French forward.
With 31 goals and 33 assists in 121 games for the Parisian outfit, Barcola would bring an immediate injection of quality to Liverpool’s attack – but the £87m bid that Fichajes reported the Reds submitting on Wednesday is unlikely to be accurate.
Graeme Bailey, transfer insider at TEAMtalk, claimed yesterday (January 8) that a number of sides including Arsenal and Liverpool had enquired into Barcola’s availability, but have been rebuffed for a transfer this month. Bailey’s unnamed source did, however, echo L’Equipe’s Loic Tanzi’s comments earlier this week in suggesting Barcola could be available in the summer.
The source told Bailey: “Barcola is one of those players that when mentioned, really piques interest. The links to England are real, they know he is not available now but as, and when, he is then they will jump in. The Premier League clubs are fully aware of his situation and remain so.”
Mane to Liverpool?
Mateus Mane celebrates his goal for Wolves against Everton(Image: Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
No, not that one. Mateus Mane, the England Under-18s attacking midfielder, has offered a rare bright spark with two goals in 11 senior appearances for an ailing Wolves team this season. His 69th-minute equaliser at Hill Dickinson Stadium will have put a smile on the faces of Liverpool fans on Wednesday, and TEAMtalk‘s Graeme Bailey was quick off the mark once more in claiming the Reds – along with Manchester clubs United and City – had scouts in attendance keeping tabs on the 18-year-old.
Everton are also claimed to have “watched (Mane) closely” – a little too closely for many Blues’ liking perhaps – and Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are also said to have enquired about his availability. Wolves sources allegedly confirmed interest from “more than half of the Premier League”, with Mane one of England’s hottest youth prospects.
New deal clears path for Nico Schlotterbeck
Nico Schlotterbeck of Borussia Dortmund(Image: Ralf Ibing – firo sportphoto/Getty Images)
German tabloid BILD speculated yesterday (January 8) on what Dayot Upamecano’s new contract means for Bayern Munich’s transfer business going forward. Upamecano is expected to put pen to paper on a new four or five-year deal worth up to €20m (£17.4m) per year, with a release clause coming into effect in summer 2027.
BILD claimed this could signal the end of Bayern’s pursuit of Nico Schlotterbeck, the Borussia Dortmund defender who has been the subject of links with Liverpool and Real Madrid. Madrid are expected to turn their attention to the German if Upamecano extends at Bayern, with Antonio Rudiger potentially on his way out of the Bernabeu.
This could be a blessing in disguise for Liverpool, however, as they beat Bayern to the signature of Germany talisman Florian Wirtz in the summer. Perhaps Schlotterbeck could be persuaded to join his compatriot as part of a new-look Reds side, as he appears to have the qualities required to be a mainstay in the Liverpool backline for years to come.
Loan round-up
Lewis Koumas of Birmingham City (Image: David Rogers/Getty Images)
Lewis Koumas, who made his debut under Jurgen Klopp, has been widely expected to return to Liverpool following an underwhelming half-season at Birmingham City. But manager Chris Davies left all options on the table when discussing the 20-year-old’s future, indicating that the Blues would be interested in retaining Koumas if Liverpool don’t recall him after limited game time.
Koumas grabbed the second goal in Birmingham’s 3-2 win over Coventry on Sunday, a match which Davies described as the youngster’s “best day” for the club.
Davies said: “With Lewis, I was speaking to him about needing that moment. He needed that goal to be the catalyst to really kick on at the club. To be fair to him, he hadn’t had a lot of chances to do it because he’s been out of the team and just coming on for little bits, but to play, to start, to score in a game like that was a big moment.
“I’ve spoken to Lewis and he was really pleased with the day, his best day for us, and it’s a case of, ‘Okay, let’s go from there and get ready for the next match’. What I will say is he’s had a massive impact on a big game and, as an attacking player, that’s all you can do.
“I’m pleased with him and focused very much on the present, which is the next match, and I’m sure he is too.”
Meanwhile, Keith Wyness – Aston Villa‘s former CEO – has told Football Insider there have been “no signals” that Arne Slot wants the on-loan Villa exile Harvey Elliott back at Liverpool. Wyness was also asked about Elliott’s mooted move to MLS side Charlotte FC in search of more game time – a move the player is understood to be less than keen on.
Wyness told Football Insider: “Yes, [Charlotte is] an elegant solution to the whole thing. Liverpool have been very tight-lipped about him coming back there and that’s the only other club he could play for. I thought Arne Slot would have wanted him back. It does seem that he’s not that keen, or if there is, there’s been no signals to that effect.
“The MLS, I think Harvey Elliott would be one of the superstars in the MLS, certainly at his age, going there right now and the benefits of that in North America can be quite lucrative, and I think certainly it’s going to be an easier league for him and I think he’ll shine.”
Other reports today
Fichajes have claimed Liverpool “have fixed their eyes on” Roony Bardghji, Lamine Yamal‘s 20-year-old understudy at Barcelona. The winger has scored two goals in 14 appearances so far for the Blaugrana, and received his third cap for Sweden against Slovenia in November.
A goal and two assists in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Athletic Club has apparently “convinced Liverpool’s scouts” that Bardghji possesses the goal threat required to replace Mohamed Salah as the long-term leader of the Reds’ attack. At a proposed €50m (£43.4m), this feels more than a little premature. Don’t expect to see this move happen anytime soon.
Hearsay abounds around the future of Federico Chiesa, who was kept on the bench as Liverpool battled their way to a 0-0 draw against Arsenal last night (January 9). The ECHO still understands the Reds have received no approaches for the Italian from reported suitors Juventus, and manager Luciano Spalletti poured cold water on the rumours in a recent press conference.
That hasn’t stopped Turin outlet Torino Cronaca from claiming the deal could be on the cards come Salah’s return from international duty, however. Tuttosport report the potential fee – around €10m (£8.7m) – would be less than what Liverpool paid to sign Chiesa from Juve in 2024. The unsourced claims go on to state that the player has been in contact with former team-mates Dusan Vlahovic, Manuel Locatelli and Federico Gatti to discuss a return to the Old Lady.
Though Liverpool sources claim Chiesa is still part of the plans at Anfield, this rumour refuses to go away. It’s hard to see the forward sticking around much longer if his game time remains restricted. Whether a move is on the cards this month remains to be seen.
Nonsense of the day
This one is a tie between two truly wild reports, both from the good folks at Spain’s Fichajes.
The first flew under the radar earlier in the week, with Fichajes claiming that Trent Alexander-Arnold is a target for Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea, possibly on a loan-to-buy deal until the end of the season. As if that wasn’t crazy enough, the reports claimed the transfer fee could be around €40m (£34.7m). As underwhelming as the much-maligned former Liverpool player’s first six months at Real have been, that is a ridiculously low fee for a two-time Premier League champion and European Cup winner with Alexander-Arnold’s quality.
In truth, the second one probably takes the biscuit.
The headline, “El Liverpool se vuelve loco” (Liverpool go crazy), is the only accurate part of this astonishing claim. According to Fichajes, Liverpool could bid up to €100m (£86.8m) for Mason Greenwood, who is currently playing at Liverpool’s upcoming Champions League opponents, Marseille. But the prospect of the former Manchester United man rocking up at Anfield in a Red shirt is far-fetched to say the least.