A look at what might lie in store for Liverpool this January transfer window by the ECHO’s Reds correspondent Paul Gorst
Given Liverpool’s rich history with finding gold in the January transfer window, Arne Slot and Richard Hughes may be forgiven for approaching the turn of the year with optimism.
January, according to many at least, is a seller’s market, where quality is at a premium and value is hard to find. Having said that, the Reds are able to boast a number of top-class additions to their ranks at the midway points of recent seasons.
Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge are fine examples, as are Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz. But it is Luis Suarez and Virgil van Dijk who stand as the two beacons of January window success at Liverpool, particularly the current captain, whose importance to the team during a golden period between 2019 and 2025 cannot be overstated.
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After a summer spend that skirted the edges of a half-billion, however, the noises are, so far at least, that it will be a quiet one. Anfield chiefs have not discounted some business but the club always operates on the basis that they will only act if a ‘market opportunity’ presents itself.
Inevitably the focus has been on the future of Antoine Semenyo at Bournemouth, whose £65m release clause has seen him linked with virtually every big club in England. The Ghana international rebuffed an approach from Tottenham Hotspur and was a target for Manchester United in the summer.
After a superb first half of the campaign at the Vitality Stadium where he scored nine goals – a tally that is only bettered by Brentford’s Igor Thiago and Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland – the Reds are one of a slew of clubs said to be interested.
A handful of reports in national media on Sunday evening claimed there was an expectation that Liverpool would enter the race for a player who sporting director Hughes signed for Bournemouth from Bristol Rovers in 2023 for just £10m.
The presence of Hughes at Anfield means the Reds are acutely aware of the specifics around the clauses in Semenyo’s deal and that, in theory, gives them an advantage in the hunt for the exciting wideman.
The expectation, however, is that Semenyo will join City. Sources at both Anfield and Bournemouth are of the belief the 25-year-old attacker will sign for Pep Guardiola’s side early next month and with the £65m release clause only live until the 10th of next month, the Citizens are said to be ready to bring him in at the earliest opportunity and that process is already underway.
According to those with knowledge of the inner workings at Bournemouth, the champions’ name has rarely featured where the future of Semenyo is concerned.
The nature of the release clause and Hughes’s implicit knowledge of the details will at least leave the potential for a dramatic hijacking in play as long as the winger remains on the south coast. But it appears increasingly like a forlorn hope for those keen to see him signed.
Another player whose future is likely to be the source of much debate is Marc Guehi, who is entering the final six months of his terms at Crystal Palace. The Eagles skipper was undergoing a medical in London on September 1 when Palace pulled the plug on a £35m agreement between the clubs.
Head coach Oliver Glasner, who guided the Londoners to their first-ever major piece of silverware in the FA Cup in May, has denied he threatened to quit over the potential sale of his skipper, but the Austrian has been consistently outspoken since in his belief that Palace need to be more proactive and ambitious in their approach to the window. A departure of the club captain on transfer deadline day would clearly have jarred with that stance.
Guehi, as it stands, is set to leave Selhurst Park as a free agent and while Liverpool may feel they should be realistically considered front-runners, given the England international underwent a portion of a medical just a few months ago, the status of the 25-year-old as a free agent will mean increased competition.
Newcastle United had three bids rejected in the summer of 2024 but more interest from abroad is expected in Guehi this summer, with the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Inter all credited as potential suitors.
Palace are almost certain to retain the defender next month, with the belief that he is more valuable to them for the second half of what is shaping up to be an exciting campaign for them under Glasner, particularly in the Europa Conference League.
Harvey Elliott is another whose future is uncertain. The on-loan Aston Villa midfielder has made just a handful of appearances for Unai Emery’s side and with 10 needed to trigger the £35m agreement in place between the clubs, the 22-year-old could be set to stay on the fringes until the end of the campaign.
Eleven successive wins under Emery has Villa riding high heading into the New Year and with attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers one of the Premier League’s outstanding performers in recent months, the prospect of Elliott gaining significant game-time appears slim, particularly given the Villans are still mindful of their position with regards to the Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Paying £35m for a player who is way down the pecking order, from Villa’s perspective, appears remote. The Midlanders would have to initiate contact with Liverpool to get the ball rolling on a recall for Elliott and Slot played down talk of a return when asked earlier this month.
Elliott’s quality and ability to operate in a number of positions would appeal at a time when the options, particularly in forward areas, are stretched but even before the investments in Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, the midfielder started just two games under Slot in the Premier League, both of which were after the title had been wrapped up at the end of April.
Given he featured in the closing stages of Liverpool’s dramatic 3-2 win over Newcastle in August, the England Under-21 hero cannot play for another side this term, effectively leaving him trapped until the summer.
An Anfield comeback has not been completely ruled out but it would likely involve financial penalties for Villa, which they would understandably be reluctant to invoke at this stage.
