With three weeks to go until the transfer window closes, the ECHO takes a look at what a dream January could look like for Liverpool
Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace and Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain(Image: Getty Images)
With three weeks to go until the January transfer window closes, Liverpool have enjoyed a quiet month to date. The Reds have added Mor Talla Ndiaye and Noah Adekoya to their academy ranks and sold James Norris to Shelbourne, while James McConnell, Owen Beck and James Balagizi have been recalled from loan stints away.
Beyond that, despite plenty of speculation, there has not been anything of note, which is what Liverpool were anticipating.
But with Conor Bradley having now been ruled out for the season with a significant knee injury, adding to Arne Slot’s selection issues, it remains to be seen if that stance will change during the final 21 days of the mid-season transfer window.
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The Reds were already without Giovanni Leoni for the campaign after he underwent surgery on an ACL injury suffered on his debut back in September, while Alexander Isak is also a long-term absentee after he fractured his leg in last month’s win over Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool have been without Hugo Ekitike and Wataru Endo because of injuries of their own in recent weeks, though the pair are closing in on returns, while Mohamed Salah is also due back next week following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations.
But even once the trio are available for selection again,Slot’s options will remain stretched. And with the January transfer window currently open, it is easy to theorise that it could offer possible solutions.
Admittedly, the Reds’ hands are currently tied, having selected the full quota of 17 overseas players in both their Premier League and Champions League squads. As a result, they are currently only able to add homegrown players to their ranks without selling or dropping any of their foreign stars.
They do remain interested in Marc Guehi ahead of his contract expiring at the end of the season, though, having seen Crystal Palace block a £35m move for the England international at the 11th hour on deadline day back in the summer.
While Guehi had been expected to see out the season at Selhurst Park before having his pick of the clubs on a Bosman transfer at the end of the campaign, Bradley’s injury could see Liverpool attempt to bring forward their transfer plans and test such a resolve.
With there still being plenty of time for the Reds to conduct any business if they so desired, the ECHO takes a look at what a dream transfer window could look like for the club over the next three weeks…
Sign Marc Guehi
An easy place to start. The Reds have been short on players defensively since Leoni’s ACL injury, with Bradley’s own serious knee issue only reiterating such a shortage.
While Guehi is a centre-back rather than right-back, his presence would at least provide a further option at the heart of the back-line and free up Joe Gomez, who has been prone to injury himself, to cover Bradley’s absence at right-back.
The Palace captain would already be a Liverpool player had his current club not had a late change of heart in the summer after failing to sign a replacement, with a £35m deal initially agreed.
Recent reports suggest it could cost more to lure Guehi away from the Eagles this month, with Manchester City said to be weighing up their own move in response to multiple injuries at centre-back.
While in an ideal world you would just wait and sign Guehi on a free transfer in the summer, he would at least help solve Liverpool’s defensive shortage if they brought forward such plans.
Sign a forward… and sell Federico Chiesa
The Reds had been heavily linked with Antoine Semenyo, but ultimately never made a move for the Ghana international prior to his switch from AFC Bournemouth to Man City.
Like Guehi, he would have been classed as homegrown so would have been able to be added to Liverpool’s ranks without the need for any senior departures.
While the Reds did not rival City for his signature, such speculation did highlight how Liverpool had perhaps left themselves short in their attacking ranks after selling Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich in the summer.
Their position has not been aided by Isak’s fractured leg, even if Ekitike and Salah will soon be options again once more.
Yet Rio Ngumoha’s opportunities have remained limited as Slot continues to manage the teenager carefully, while Federico Chiesa continues to be limited to a bit-part role.
With Juventus reportedly interested in re-signing the forward, a mid-season departure would at least give Liverpool the scope to add a player more fancied by Slot to their attacking ranks – and without being limited to said option having to fill their homegrown quota too.
The likes of Bradley Barcola, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr and Michael Olise are marquee names that have all been linked to the Reds in recent months.
Seeing as we’re theorising what a dream transfer window might look like, however unlikely such a signing mid-January might currently be, let us just pretend that the arrival of one of the quartet would not be limited to a ‘Football Manager’ save.
Recall Harvey Elliott
Harvey Elliott’s loan move to Aston Villa has not worked out. He has made only five appearances, and Unai Emery has already made it perfectly clear that the Villans will not be signing the midfielder permanently.
Consequently, he remains in limbo, frozen out at Villa Park having not made an appearance since the start of October and failed to make a Premier League matchday squad since a mid-October win over Tottenham Hotspur.
With Villa required to sign the 22-year-old in a £35m deal if he makes 10 appearances for the club, his fortunes will not improve if he stays put.
Liverpool do not have a recall option for Elliott, meaning Villa will have to open talks if they wish to send the midfielder back to Anfield. However, they would likely have to pay financial penalties to do so – something they would rather avoid, given their reluctance to spend £35m on the loanee is in part due to their efforts to comply with PSR.
Having featured for the Reds against Newcastle United prior to his loan move to Villa, Elliott is also unable to join a different European side in January due to FIFA regulations.
But is the best solution for him not to just rejoin Liverpool’s ranks for the second half of the season?
Yes, he was limited to a bit-part role under Slot last season and would likely remain a squad player. But such a scenario is still a better option than the plight he currently finds himself in at Villa Park.
Given Liverpool’s stretched options, there would still be a role for him to play and as he is homegrown, there is already space in the Reds squad for him.
Back at Anfield, Liverpool at least have greater control over his future and transfer value once more, even if it still leads to an exit in the summer.
Trio handed new contracts
While we’re at it, let’s look beyond transfer business, too. Ibrahima Konate remains out of contract at the end of the season and speculation about his future has been a distraction amid inconsistent form from the Frenchman.
In a dream world, he signs an extension and is back to his very best as the Reds enjoy a much-improved second half of the campaign.
But let us look beyond the centre-back. Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch are two of Liverpool’s most important players and will have two years left on their deals come the summer.
Let us see the pair sign extensions well in advance of the start of any contract saga – there has been enough of that at Anfield over the past two years.