‘I expect some serious movement in January’ – Liverpool transfer update from top source
Liverpool have been forced to tear up their plans for the January transfer window in order to address their defensive issues.
Arne Slot’s side have lost three games in a row in the Premier League and are now four points adrift of table-topping Arsenal.
On Wednesday (24 October), Liverpool got back to winning ways against Frankfurt, beating the German side 5-1 in the Champions League.
However, the Reds will still be desperate to end their poor run of form domestically when they travel to Brentford this weekend.
Liverpool have ‘best defender in the Bundesliga’ on January shortlist
Liverpool have been linked with Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck, but it is yet to be seen whether they will make a move for the defender.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the Reds have had to change their plans and will now spend some money when the window reopens.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that Liverpool must push the boat out in January, and Schlotterbeck could be the right man for them.
Wyness added that he has been the best defender in the Bundesliga so far this season, and could help shore up Slot’s defence.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “He’s proven to be the best defender so far this season in the Bundesliga. He looks to be a real talent and he’s the right age at 25.
“Look, there is no doubt Liverpool are working overtime right now trying to fix this defence. They’ve got to push the boat out in January. It doesn’t look as though it’s going to be Schlotterbeck now, but he could still be one of the targets, certainly.
“I do expect to see some serious movement in January from Liverpool, and they’re going to be spending where they probably hadn’t planned to because there’s some some cracks appearing. They’re going to have to get that defence shored up.
Liverpool eye Virgil van Dijk replacement
Ibrahima Konate has come in for some criticism this season, with his performances failing to live up to expectations.
It has left Virgil van Dijk to shoulder a lot of the workload in the centre of defence.
However, Wyness believes that Liverpool already need to start looking for Van Dijk’s replacement, to ensure they are prepared for the future.
He said: “Van Dijk is now starting to get on a bit now, he’s 34. He’s really holding the whole thing together at the moment.
“They’ve got to bring in some younger talent, and it’s going to cost in January. We all know that.”
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