Liverpool enter Christmas Day with a decimated squad decimated by injuries ahead of Wolves’ visit to Anfield on Saturday. The Reds lost record signing Alexander Isak this week due to a foot injury that threatens to deprive the Swede of months of action. And with Mohamed Salah absent for the African Cup of Nations and Kodi Gakpo also injured, Liverpool’s attacking power is weak. In midfield, due to Wataru Endo’s injury, the current system means that all senior midfielders in good condition will start with Arne Slott. The main substitute is Trey Nyoni, who just made his Premier League debut off the bench against Tottenham last weekend.
But Slott and his friends were lucky. The January transfer window is almost here. And with Liverpool set to play nine games in January alone, many of which could be without Salah due to AFCON, Express Sport looks at what an ideal winter period would look like for the reigning champions with some reinforcements…
£137m triple move
What we know about Liverpool’s recruitment staff is that they only sign players they think have the potential to break into their starting eleven not just now, but in two or three years’ time. Marc Gehi is an easy target to revisit, given that a £35m deadline day deal fell through in the summer. The Reds are very light in defence, and with Ibrahima Konate’s contract expiring in 2026, they may still be tempted to pay around £25m for Guehi, even if his contract with Palace expires in six months and he becomes available for free immediately.
I think it makes sense to pay a slight premium to win over the many clubs vying to sign the in-form England international. Liverpool also need depth in midfield and AZ Alkmaar’s 19-year-old tempo-setter Keith Smit could fit the bill in the slot. The Dutch international’s transfer fee is believed to be around £25 million, which would be AZ’s highest ever transfer fee in the club’s history, but a very achievable sum for the Merseyside giants.
Smit is a talented passer who plays in defensive midfield, but is always on the move to keep the ball moving. That would help inject some extra tempo into Liverpool’s build-up play. Although he is still immature considering his age, he is a safe bet in the long term and could be rotated in and out of the wide alongside Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister in the short term.
In attack, Liverpool are looking for a winger, despite choosing not to pursue Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo. RB Leipzig’s Yann Diomande may fit the bill. He is currently representing Ivory Coast at AFCON and the 19-year-old, valued at £87m, is a huge talent.
Diomande, who can play on either flank, has scored seven goals in 16 games this season. He is good at dribbling the ball into dangerous areas, but he is also pacey, prolific and knows how to press. All of his goal contributions this season have come from the right flank, suggesting the Ivorian could be Salah’s long-term successor. However, if he shines at AFCON, his price could rise.
Contracts – Mark Guehi £25m, Keith Smit £25m, Yann Diomand £87m
Two stars are back
None of these signings will be completed in the first few days of January. However, there are two players Liverpool could bring in immediately through the AXA training center who are struggling on loan. Harvey Elliott’s time at Aston Villa has been a disaster and cutting it short makes sense for everyone involved.
Elliott has already played for Liverpool this season, so he will only be able to play for the Reds or Villa. Therefore, he would be a good replacement for Mac Allister in his new, more advanced role, despite struggling to thrive in the slot last term.
James McConnell’s spell at Ajax has also failed, and the academy midfielder would be a useful option, especially for Barnsley’s FA Cup third round visit. The 21-year-old has only made one first-team appearance for Ajax this season, so if Endo is back at Liverpool by then, he would be free to move elsewhere on loan at the end of January.
Returning Players – Harvey Elliott, James McConnell
Salah’s decision
Another problem for Liverpool is leaving, but given the current state of the team, they cannot afford to leave. Perhaps talented players from the academy may just leave on loan. Salah, a talisman in the first-team squad, is not going anywhere even if he wants to be sent off.
Slott and Salah mended the rift enough to play against Brighton before departing for AFCON duty. With the match against Isak coming up in a few months, the Egyptian will have game time even if the Dutch manager brings in a new forward in the January transfer window.
Captain Virgil van Dijk has made it clear that he wants Salah to remain as a teammate, and letting him leave would leave an already weak attack stretched too thin. That’s not allowed.
