Liverpool have double, double selection opportunities in January as lucky Jurgen Klopp saved £175 million
Jurgen Klopp has troubled Chelsea this week as Liverpool prepare for the January transfer window In previous years, Liverpool have shown a willingness to dive into the murky world of the January transfer window to make the necessary improvements to their squad. This is despite manager Jürgen Klopp having spoken repeatedly about the complexity and financial trappings of the off-season and the Reds are ready to do business again at the start of the year. In January 2023, Liverpool astutely completed negotiations to bring Cody Gakpo to Anfield and kill the advances of Manchester United and Leeds, while 12 months earlier a similar battle plan was executed to pry Luis Diaz from the clutches of Tottenham Hotspur. Now, with holes appearing in Liverpool’s XI – most acutely in defense – Klopp and Liverpool chiefs are looking to line up the checkered flag again. Just this week, Klopp appeared to aim provocative tips at arch-rivals Chelsea, who splashed a combined £175m on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia in summer transfers from the Reds. The latter still plays for the Blues, while Caicedo has been outstanding as Mauricio Pochettino’s side have faltered badly and sit in 12th place going into the party. As quoted by the Daily Mail, Klopp appeared to be teasing Chelsea by suggesting that Liverpool will push away high prices a bit: “In the summer we had some strange things happen in the transfer market, but here, between us, I can say: ‘My God, were we lucky, weren’t we?’ Now, with the Reds hypothetically saving almost £200m by not bringing in Caicedo and Lavia in the summer, it can be concluded that cash will be available at Anfield throughout the month of January, with Klopp having a shortlist as his main focus. Express Sport takes a closer look… Goncalo Inacio It’s no secret that Liverpool need to strengthen the center of defense. It was a requirement even before the recent news of Joel Matip’s unfortunate ACL injury, which will now rule him out for the rest of the season, but now it’s a necessity. With Liverpool, the likes of Chelsea are looking in the central defender market to replace the aging Thiago Silva. Manchester United are also considering the possibility of Raphael Varane’s departure, and Harry Maguire still distrusts manager Erik ten Hag. All three clubs have been keeping a close eye on Sporting Lisbon star Goncalo Inaco, who has caught the eye of Europe’s elite. Liverpool have reportedly spent two years chasing Ignacio, gathering information on the 22-year-old, who has €60m (£51.5m) left in his contract. It is likely to be far more than Liverpool were prepared to pay, although it provides a solid way to seal the deal and fight for a rival seen as a potential generational talent. Andre Trindade A name on the lips of most Liverpool fans. Andrea was pursued continuously by the Reds in the summer, despite the Brazilian number 039 club Fluminense making it abundantly clear that no offer for them to play in the Copa Libertadores would be accepted. Andre was an important cog in a race that ended like a dream with a final victory. Mission accomplished, it is now understood that Fluminense is ready to sit down at the negotiating table and sign the contract. Reports in recent weeks have pushed Liverpool away due to renewed interest from rivals Manchester United, while Premier League strugglers Fulham are also said to be pushing hard for a deal. Many cynics would say that this is just an expert job by Fluminense and their agents are trying to create an aerial bidding war, but don’t expect Liverpool’s interest to die down. Pedro Neto The Wolves winger is back in his prime and is set to make a lot of improvements considering he is only 23 years old. Neto has already shown he is more than capable of handling Premier League football and could be a misfit on his day when he steps into top gear at Molineux. While a January move would be next to impossible, Liverpool will need to act quickly if Mohamed Salah is influenced by Saudi Arabia’s advances in the summer. A sensational bid in excess of £150 million is expected to hit the Anfield boardrooms soon from the Middle East. Salah has just one year left on his contract at Liverpool and Neto fits the type of player Liverpool have consistently sought to buy and become a global megastar under Klopp. Max Kilman Another centre-back that the Merseysiders are sure to have noticed is Wolves powerhouse Max Kilman. Like Neto, Liverpool can have the confidence to train with Wolves mid-season due to the strong relationship between the two clubs. Liverpool completed an immediate and cordial agreement with the Midlands club to acquire the services of Diogo Jota over several transfer windows and also sanctioned the departure of highly-rated star Kijana Hoever to Molineux. Kilman, 26, has been quietly going about his business at Wolves since being snapped up from non-league Maidenhead United for £40,000. He grew in strength and made a name for himself. Reigning Italian champions Napoli received a £30m bid for the star at the end of the summer. Kilman, now in charge of Wolves following the departure of Ruben Neves, is sure to get a huge reward in January. Although he already has the Anfield icon’s approval. Speaking about the defender in March, Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports: “Behind Max Kilman at Wolves, always there all season. He’s not a regular centre-back, he just does the job and makes very few mistakes, so he’s automatic choice. no matter who the manager is.