Liverpool chiefs plot January move after private chats as injury confirmed
Liverpool have themselves in Premier League title contention heading into the hectic festive period.
The club oversaw a notable change in personnel in the summer, especially in midfield as several individuals left with a host of new faces coming in to replace them. The likes of Dominik Szoboszlai have settled quickly and helped the Reds recover from a poor showing last term.
Jurgen Klopp has made marquee signings in January in the past and attention will turn to their recruitment come the New Year. The German has played down the prospect of new arrivals but that could still change. Here's the latest from Anfield.
Reds weigh up defender swoop
Liverpool are willing to move for a defender in January despite Klopp ruling out a move for a new face in the backline a few weeks ago.
The Reds have lost Joel Matip to a season-ending ACL injury and there is a lack of depth at centre-back, which could play a role later in the season. There has been little talk of Liverpool making major additions in the New Year, although the club have made some high profile additions midway through the season in the past.
Klopp's dream Liverpool line up as last-gasp January transfers rejectedThe Daily Mail is now reporting that Liverpool will be alert to opportunities and will pursue a move if the price is right. Liverpool's transfer chiefs held a meeting last week to discuss whether or not they'd go after players once the window opens.
Read more here.
Carvalho struggling in Germany
Fabio Carvalho has struggled to rediscover his best form after making a loan move away from Liverpool in the summer.
Minutes have proved to be at a premium with RB Leipzig since his switch amid suggestions he could be recalled early from his Bundesliga spell. Liverpool No 2 Pep Lijnders has stated that the club will do whatever's best for the player. “It’s most important he finds rhythm; we all know a player with rhythm is a different player than a player without," he said.
“A player with confidence or without confidence, and a player who trains in a certain way, is a different player. He needs to find minutes, but it’s not up to me, it’s up to our directors to speak with the club and find the best solution for him. We all want the best for him because he is our player, so wait and see but no decision [has been] made about that.”
Mac Allister remains sidelined
Alexis Mac Allister is likely to be ruled out until the New Year according to Liverpool's assistant boss.
The summer signing from Brighton has missed recent games after he needed stitches following a bad challenge against Sheffield United earlier this month. Klopp later admitted that Mac Allister's injury was "a bit more tricky than we thought".
Lijnders has since said: “Alexis is out of course. He is a player we miss. You see that sometimes in a game is really rushed and he is a player who is really calm. We miss a few boys but with Wataru stepping up, with Ryan, Curt, Harvey, Dom, it’s all good. It will go into the New Year, but we play January 1st. So let’s see.”