After an unprecedented outlay in the summer transfer window, it’ll be compelling to see how much business Liverpool undertake in January.
Despite spending almost £450m on new signings between June and August, the defending Premier League champions find themselves languishing in eighth place after losing five of their first 11 top-flight matches this term.
There’s been no shortage of rumours circulating around prospective targets throughout the autumn – Spanish sources have claimed that Marc Guehi has ‘given his word’ to joining the Reds in 2026, while links with teenage RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande have also gained traction of late.
Are Liverpool likely to enter the January transfer market?
Lewis Steele has replied to queries from LFC supporters in a Liverpool Confidential Q&A for Mail Sport, and unsurprisingly he was asked about the likelihood of FSG overseeing further recruitment in January.
The journalist outlined: ‘The noises from Liverpool suggest it is more unlikely than likely at this stage – but that could, and perhaps should, change. Potential moves for Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and plenty of others have been mooted but there has been no significant moves on either… for January anyway.’
However, he did voice his opinion that another defensive acquisition is ‘imperative’ due to Giovanni Leoni’s long-term injury, warning that further body blows to either Virgil van Dijk or Ibrahima Konate could theaten to turn ‘a bad season’ into ‘a terrible one’.
Liverpool could do with defensive reinforcements in January
As we’ve seen over the years, FSG won’t feel a compulsion to enter the January transfer window just because there’s a clamour on social media for mid-season additions – Liverpool haven’t made a winter signing since bringing in Cody Gakpo almost three years ago.
However, that isn’t to say that the Merseysiders won’t go into the market in a few weeks’ time, and as Steele has pointed out, they’d be wise to take their opportunity to reinforce Arne Slot’s squad while they’re getting it, rather than us being left with a sense of ‘what if’ in the second half of the campaign.
As it stands, we agree with the journalist’s pleas for another centre-back to be added, given the sparsity of senior options in that area of the pitch, and the situation isn’t helped by ongoing doubts as to whether or not Konate will sign a new contract or leave at the end of his current deal next summer.
Guehi would appear to be the preferred option, considering how close Liverpool had been to signing him a couple of months ago until Crystal Palace pulled the plug on the transfer. If he’s unattainable in January, then Richard Hughes should immediately turn to the next most desirable alternative.
The Reds have previous for pouncing on unexpected opportunities in the market, and their plans have been known to turn on a sixpence, so right now it’d be foolish to completely rule out the possibility of winter signings.
We don’t expect another large-scale splurge, but a couple of astute additions could be crucial to tipping the scales between this season being a success or a failure.
You can watch Slot’s full post-Man City press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:
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I know what mean Jan.😆
‘Nuff said on the subject surely.