With 10 days until the January transfer window opens, Liverpool are now anticipated to push forward with plans to sign players in three key positions mid-season.
The Reds head into the New Year with a number of concerns looming over them, not least with a new long-term injury to Alexander Isak.
Isak has joined Giovanni Leoni on the serious injury list, while a number of others including Cody Gakpo, Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley and Wataru Endo are currently sidelined and the squad left thin.
According to Sky Sports, that means “plans to sign a centre-back, winger and central midfielder could be accelerated.”
Liverpool January transfer plans: A quick look
• Accelerated targets: Liverpool may push forward plans to sign a centre-back, winger and central midfielder following a fresh injury crisis.
• Primary names: The club remain keen on Crystal Palace‘s Marc Guehi and are monitoring Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo’s £65m release clause.
• Midfield options: Despite the need for a No. 6, moves for Adam Wharton or Elliot Anderson are considered more likely for the summer.
Liverpool are known to hold an interest in Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi and “remain keen” a deal, while they are described as being “in the background” when it comes to Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.
Semenyo is available for £65 million in the first two weeks of January due to a release clause in his contract, while Guehi came close to joining the Reds for £35 million in September.
The surprise position is central midfield, as though Liverpool are clearly light in that area – particularly with Endo out until mid-January – there has been no indication of immediate plans to reinforce.
Which midfielders are linked with Liverpool?
Martin Zubimendi was a priority target back in 2024 but a deal fell through and the Spaniard ultimately joined Arsenal for £51 million in July of this year.
Failure to land Zubimendi meant Arne Slot put his faith in Ryan Gravenberch as his No. 6 but the Dutchman is in clear need of either competition or a replacement to allow him to start in his more natural role further forward.
Liverpool have been named as admirers of Palace’s Adam Wharton along with Nottingham Forest‘s Elliot Anderson but it is difficult to see either moving in January.
What Arne Slot has said about January transfers
Speaking on the possibility of signing a new centre-back last week, Slot stressed that the club do not have “unlimited money.”
“The outside world wants to believe we have unlimited money but that is not true,” he told reporters at the AXA Training Centre.
“You insiders know – and you are the only ones because the outside world only talks about our spending – what we have brought in [money-wise] to spend.
“That is the way we work over here. You then have to accept that in certain games during a season you are short of a right full-back.
“But we are still able to win. I fully believe in that way of working, by the way.”