The January transfer window has officially opened, but what can we really expect from Liverpool before the deadline at the end of the month?
The Reds are no strangers to a January signing, with the likes of Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Ben Davies, Ozan Kabak and Takumi Minamino either loaned or bought since 2020.
With Jurgen Klopp‘s side firmly in the title discussion there will be calls for Liverpool to strengthen while they can, especially in defence after a number of injuries.
The window officially opened on January 1 and the expectation is for a quiet one for the Reds on the incoming front, but what else could we see from the club?
Any incomings?
Rumours are never far away when it comes to Liverpool, it’s identifying the legitimate ones from the midst of the chaos that is the trick.
Throughout the first-half of the season, Fluminense midfielder Andre continued to be linked but that ship has sailed, with This Is Anfield‘s David Lynch reporting in November that a January “swoop” is not in the plans.
A move for Fulham‘s Joao Palhinha is also off the table.
A lot of focus, however, is on the defence after Joel Matip was ruled out for the season with an ACL injury, and Joe Gomez tasked with a role at left-back with injuries to Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas.
Klopp distanced the club from any defensive signings not long after Matip’s injury, saying: “They all cost money, it must be the right player. Tell me a club which wants to sell a top, top, top centre-half.”
That has not stopped the likes of Benfica’s Antonio Silva and Sporting’s Goncalo Inacio from being linked, though local Merseyside reporters have yet to report anything concrete.
It would, of course, be welcomed if Liverpool were proactive in the window as they are in the hunt for the title, but early signs point to reinforcements only coming in the summer.
Sales
It is not often that the club partake in mid-season sales, preferring to either hang onto a player until the summer or instead organising a loan move.
One would expect that to remain the case this January, despite continuous links between Thiago and Barcelona – which make little sense when you consider his injury and the fact he will be a free agent in the summer.
There could well be murmurs over the likes of Nat Phillips and Fabio Carvalho once more, but it is likely that Dominic Solanke will remain the most recent first-team sale in the winter window, he left for Bournemouth in 2019.
Loans
This is where we expect the majority of winter action to take place, with a number of loans to assess after a mixed first half of the season.
Carvalho (Leipzig), Phillips (Celtic) and Rhys Williams (Aberdeen) are all expected to end their spells prematurely following limited or no game time.
They could each be lined up with an alternative loan for the second half of the campaign, but Liverpool will need to be picky considering the shortcomings to date.
James Balagizi (Wigan) could yet return following a new injury, and while Owen Beck has been thriving with Dundee, there could be a conversation over whether his presence is needed at left-back following the injuries to Robertson and Tsimikas.
There is reportedly a clause in Beck’s contract that would allow Liverpool to bring him back to Anfield, though they will be resistant to hinder his development.
Preston, meanwhile, have been welcoming of Calvin Ramsay, but a combination of injuries and illness has kept him to just two appearances so far and he will be another name that the club take a long look at this month.
Liverpool had 16 loans agreed from the summer window, but as for new short-term deals, the likes of Marcelo Pitaluga, Bobby Clark, Kaide Gordon, Paul Glatzel and Matteo Ritaccio could all be considered.
