Liverpool’s dream January transfer window comes to an end with a deal with Bellingham and a £60 million breakthrough.
Liverpool began the January transfer window with a bang by bringing in Cody Gakpo, but no other players have arrived at Anfield. The Dutch international joined a club in desperate need of a boost, with injuries and a lack of momentum pushing Liverpool down the table.
His arrival, however, has failed to inspire a change of fortune at Liverpool, with calls growing for Klopp to go back into the market to bolster their midfield. Jude Bellingham’s name is still being linked with a move to Liverpool, but he is unlikely to be the only midfielder on the Reds’ radar in the coming months.
Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have struggled to find top form this season, while James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all out of contract in the summer. Liverpool’s next league game is against Wolves on February 4, giving Klopp time to focus on matters off the field.
There have been some hints that the Reds may still do business in the closing days of the transfer window, with Klopp admitting that they are constantly scouring the market. Express Sport looks at Klopp’s ideal way to close the transfer window.
agreement reached in Bellingham
It’s the clearest and most obvious transfer Liverpool wants, and signing Bellingham on a pre-contract agreement would be the best outcome for the Reds in the coming days. Borussia Dortmund is unwilling to sell this month but has stated that they are willing to let him leave in the summer.
This would allow clubs to begin discussions about a pre-agreement, which has previously occurred. Christopher Nkunku is set to join Chelsea this summer after the Blues agreed to a pre-contract with the Frenchman last year.
The Blues made a similar deal for Hakim Ziyech in 2020 before he officially joined the club later that year. With interest in Bellingham at an all-time high, Liverpool understands that they must act quickly to secure Bellingham’s signature.
Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester City have all been mentioned as potential rivals for Bellingham. The best-case scenario for Liverpool would be an agreement in principle to bring Bellingham to Anfield this summer.
£60m breakthrough
Bellingham alone won’t be enough to fix Liverpool’s midfield problem and it’s been suggested they will target two midfielders this summer. Moises Caicedo continues to be linked with a move to Anfield and Brighton appears more willing to open talks.
The 21-year-old’s stock has never been higher after he impressed at the World Cup and is attracting interest from clubs all over Europe. And Brighton has reportedly dropped their original asking price from £85m to £60m, suggesting a deal could be there to make in the final week of the transfer window.
Liverpool has shown a reluctance to make any snap decisions on signing players if they feel cheaper options are available later down the line. But they’ve also acted swiftly if their top targets are on the verge of moving elsewhere – Luis Diaz and Gakpo are key examples.
If it looks increasingly likely Caicedo will leave Brighton, Liverpool will want to be at the front of the queue to potentially make a deal happen.
Leave a Reply