Liverpool fighting Arsenal and Real for Inacio as Klopp confirms Salah stance
Liverpool are sitting top of the Premier League ahead of their game against Newcastle at Anfield on Monday.
Jurgen Klopp ’s side are in good shape following their 2-0 win over Burnley on Boxing Day and were boosted by Arsenal ’s subsequent loss to West Ham. The Gunners will have the chance to make amends against Fulham on Sunday, while Aston Villa can also draw level with Liverpool by beating Burnley on Saturday.
But while they might not enter the New Year top, Liverpool are in a strong position heading into the second half of the season. Injuries to Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas and the pending departures of Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo could make things tricky in the coming weeks – but the January transfer window offers some solace. Here are the latest pieces of Liverpool transfer news.
Inacio race heats up
Liverpool are on the lookout for a left-footed centre-back who can come in and increase their options in defence following the season-ending injury to Joel Matip. Joe Gomez is currently performing the role of back-up in central defence and in the full-back positions and reinforcements would be nice.
Sporting defender Goncalo Inacio fits the bill. The 22-year-old is very highly rated – but unfortunately for Liverpool that means plenty of other clubs have noticed. Marca says that Real Madrid and Arsenal are both monitoring the young defender, who is under contract with Sporting until June 2027.
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Goncalo Inacio is a wanted man in January (Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)He would apparently be available for €60million (£52m) next month, which is pricey but Liverpool have acted in January previously to sign Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo, so it’s not out of the question.
Klopp outlines Salah stance
Liverpool are braced to lose Salah in the New Year, with the Africa Cup of Nations running from January 13 to February 11. Depending on how Egypt get on, Salah could miss seven Liverpool matches – a potentially gigantic impact on the Reds’ campaign.
However, Klopp is no stranger to losing Salah in January and he is not expecting any movement in the January window to replace him. “It is not the first time, it is a really at least very average situation that you lose your goalscorer but we had it even worse in the past when Sadio [Mane] and Mo left and we came somehow through it,” he said on Friday.
Mohamed Salah is off to AFCON in January (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)“Traditionally, one of them went pretty far in the tournament, which made it worse. We have to get through this. We knew the Africa Cup of Nations from time to time appears and Mo has to go and we have Endo as a participant of the Asian Cup as well, so it is like it is. We knew it and now we have to deal with it and we will.”
Firmino ponders Saudi exit
It doesn’t feel like long since Roberto Firmino left Anfield as a free agent to make his millions in Saudi Arabia. But fresh reports state that Firmino could already be leaving Al-Ahli, having grown frustrated with his position at the club.
He has fallen out of the side and is reportedly considering his future amid interest from Europe, including in the Premier League. Still only 32 years old, the Brazilian striker still has a lot to offer.
Turkish and Brazilian clubs are leading the race, but Al-Ahli would prefer to loan him to a club in the Middle East. He will be returning to Liverpool soon, though, for a book signing following the release of his memoir ‘Si Senor: My Liverpool Years’.
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