If you’re a Liverpool fan, you might be forgiven for not realizing the transfer window is still open. It’s fair to say attention has been drawn away from potential signings over the past few days.
Jürgen Klopp’s announcement last Friday that he’ll be leaving the club at the end of the season hit everyone like a tonne of bricks. At that very moment, the usual shouts on social media for the club to sign literally anyone came to a grinding halt.
It even brought the persistent transfer rumors to a standstill — well, for a short time anyway. Instead, the focus was on who would be replacing Klopp in the summer, as well as sporting director Jörg Schmadtke.
There is still time for the pair to make one last mark on the transfer front though. We might be in February now, but the January window remains open, and if we’ve learned one thing from Liverpool in recent years, there is still time to spring a surprise.
Of course, all the signs point towards it being a quiet end to the window for the Reds, and for the Premier League in general. The likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United look as though they don’t want to rock the boat after the recent FFP/PSR charges handed down to Everton and Nottingham Forest.
There are no such concerns for Liverpool though, so the path is clear should Klopp and Schmadtke want to make one last foray into the market. Given the position the Reds find themselves in at the moment, with four trophies still well within their grasp, it could be just the sort of boost to push home their advantage over their rivals.
There is one area that stands out as a priority if Liverpool does look to make a surprise signing before the 11pm (UK time) deadline. The defense has performed well, but with no Joël Matip, the heart of the back four could do with some bolstering.
Finding a top-quality center-half to step straight into the breach halfway through a season is always going to be a tough ask, but Portugal has perhaps two answers for Liverpool, and both from the same side. Sporting CP pair Gonçalo Inácio and Ousmane Diomande have both been touted for moves to Anfield, and both could be secured if the Reds are willing to part with the cash.
According to Record (print edition, via Paisley Gates), both players have release clauses in their contracts that could open the door for Liverpool on deadline day. Inácio would reportedly cost the club $65m (£51m/€60m), while Diomande would set it back $87m (£68m/€80m).
The latter looks as though he could be the favorite for a move to Anfield now, with This Is Anfield’s David Lynch reporting earlier this month that Liverpool is keeping tabs on Diomande. He is away with Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations though which will complicate matters, which might just swing things back in favor of Inácio.
While incomings do look unlikely, outgoings are a distinct possibility, on loan at least. The ECHO reported earlier this week that Bobby Clark is attracting interest from the Championship and League One, with a temporary move a possibility in the final hours of the window.
That could be the best next step for the 18-year-old. He has impressed when called upon by Liverpool in recent weeks, but with Dominik Szoboszlai back to full fitness and Thiago Alcântara making a return to training, his opportunities in the senior side will be much more limited, and sending him out on loan will secure the first team minutes he’s very obviously ready for.
He might not be the only one heading out, with Billy Koumetio also a possibility, while more minutes out on loan could really benefit James McConnell after his impressive showing against Norwich. As long as Liverpool can find somewhere for Clark to gain more experience though, it can be deemed a successful deadline day.
