Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Rodrigo De Paul, Mohamed Salah, Mohamed Simakan, David Carmo latest
The Reds have been badly hit by injuries and Jurgen Klopp will be keen to bolster his squad as he bids to win multiple trophies
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Jurgen Klopp will be concentrating on the FA Cup third round tie at Aston Villa tonight, even if Liverpool’s opposition could represent an Under-23 side after Dean Smith’s squad suffered a Covid-19 outbreak.
The Reds needs a result and a performance after a small blip over the festive period, which most recently saw Danny Ings inflict defeat on his former club in a 1-0 win for Southampton.
Liverpool missed out on the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table, and second-place rivals Manchester United now have a game in hand as well as the same points tally, while Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City are lurking on their shoulders.
It has been a tough start to the campaign for Liverpool, not only due to their wavering results but also the shock of so many injuries to key players including centre-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez. Players to have spent significant time on the sidelines also include captain Jordan Henderson, goalkeeper Alisson Becker, summer signing Thiago Alcantara, fellow new recruit Diogo Jota, and midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The injuries at centre-back have been particularly damaging, to the point were Klopp is now considering a winter foray into the transfer market. High on his list is Bayern Munich’s David Alaba, who can leave the German champions this summer for free when his contract runs out, though signing him this month may prove too difficult.
Youngsters Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams have stepped in and performed admirably, but for the Reds to remain on course in Europe and defend their title at home, a new signing could be necessary. A proven centre-back could then boost their hopes of advancing in the Champions League knockouts, where RB Leipzig await in the last 16.
READ MORE: How will Brexit affect the January transfer window?
Here you will find all the latest gossip, rumours and latest transfer news surrounding Anfield in what has been an unprecedented season. While Klopp is keeping his cards close to his chest for now: “We have solutions in the squad - obviously. But we are struggling still with the injuries we have at this specific moment - it is happening most of the time it is in the centre-half position. That's clear. Some players are injured, play pretty quick like Joel [Matip] and get injured again. It just can happen like this, when it starts at one point and just doesn't stop. So we have solutions in the squad but if we can do something in the window - I don't know, it's really like that. It's a very difficult transfer window, I'm sure you can imagine. Not a lot of clubs have real money, some clubs don't have money but don't need money as well - that's the situation.”
Aston Villa will be relying mostly on Under-23s players to get through tonight’s FA Cup tie with Liverpool…
KLOPP: WHY LIVERPOOL SIGNED DR SCHLUMBERGER
“Yes, if you would ask people in Germany, in this area – rehab, performance, recovery – he is No.1 in Germany,” Klopp told the official website.
“I know it for years. We studied at the same university so I have followed his way all the way through, then we worked together for a few years at Dortmund. He went to Bayern, worked for Gladbach, worked for Schalke, worked before that for Nurnberg – and for the German FA as well for the national teams. All that stuff. His CV is just incredible, absolutely incredible.
“Recovery, rehab, performance is always an area where medicine and science are just not there yet. That’s normal; 20 years ago it was a catastrophe compared to today. In the moment, we are in a really good place but it is not finished – the development is not finished, so the knowledge is not finished.
“My understanding is, how can you develop in these areas? You bring the best people together, let them discuss about different cases and then make a common decision and go from there. That’s why I thought it makes absolute sense to bring him in.
“It’s nothing to do really with me personally; yes, we know each other but it’s nothing to do with that. It was, for me, a chance for the club to bring in an outstanding person with an incredible knowledge about very important things in football. And that’s why he’s here.”
REAL’S KUBO JOINS GETAFE
A statement from Real Madrid: “Real Madrid C. F. and Getafe C. F. have agreed the loan of Takefusa Kubo until the end of the season”.
LIVERPOOL MUST RESIST VILLA REVENGE TO PRIORITISE LEAGUE
When Caoimhin Kelleher left Villa Park 13 months ago after suffering a 5-0 defeat in the Carabao Cup, the Irishman could not have imagined that another Liverpool goalkeeper would concede even more goals in a crushing defeat by Aston Villa before a year had passed. Or that a global pandemic would disrupt football so badly that the Midlands side would be forced to play a team comprised of under-23 players in tonight’s FA Cup third-round fixture.
In December 2019 Liverpool were forced to put out a side with an average age of 19 years, six months and three days, because the first-team squad were in Qatar winning the Club World Championship. Villa’s youthful look tonight is caused by a much more sinister situation: Covid-19 sweeping through their Bodymoor Heath training ground.
Kelleher was elevated to the role of Alisson Becker’s deputy in part because of Adrian’s performance in the 7-2 rout in October. The 22-year-old will relish the chance to exact an element of revenge at the scene of the biggest defeat of his fledgling first-team career.
Liverpool must prioritise Premier League title race over Aston Villa retribution in FA Cup
Reds’ last two trips to Villa Park ended in humiliation, but now is not the time to recklessly seek revenge
HOW MUCH WILL PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS SPEND IN JANUARY?
The Premier League's spending power will be under scrutiny once more in a January transfer window unlike any which has gone before.
Previous winter windows have seen a steady upward trend in the league's spending, albeit with a couple of eye-catching outliers.
January 2011, when £225million was spent including big-money moves in and out of Liverpool for strikers Andy Carroll and Fernando Torres, nestled in between figures of £30m in 2010 and £60m in 2012.
How much will Premier League clubs spend in January transfer window?
There is considerable uncertainty around spending this season with new rules due to Brexit and Covid-19 impacting clubs’ financial power
ALABA ‘FINANCIALLY OUT OF REACH’ FOR LIVERPOOL
Bayern Munich defender David Alaba is beyond Liverpool's reach despite claims of talks between player and club, according to the Mirror.
The Austria international is out of contract in the summer and has been linked with a host of teams in Europe.
But the Mirror's claim follows a report from the Liverpool Echo suggesting Alaba is an "unrealistic" target.
Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly and Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano are also deemed to be too expensive for the Premier League champions.
KLOPP HAILS MINAMINO PROGRESS AHEAD OF VILLA CLASH
Takumi Minamino is expected to feature as Liverpool play a young Aston Villa side in the FA Cup tonight.
And Jurgen Klopp has been impressed with the 25-year-old's development in recent weeks.
“He is in a good shape - a really good shape - he developed, he got used to it. He was a good player when we signed him, obviously, but he got used to the intensity, the league, training, all this stuff," said the Liverpool boss.
“He made big steps. I know the last game he played was Crystal Palace and since then we didn’t win another [game], so we should think about involving him, obviously.”
ALABA LINKS ‘UNREALISTIC’
Liverpool are unlikely to sign David Alaba despite reports of discussions with the Bayern Munich defender, according to the Liverpool Echo.
The 28-year-old is out of contract in the summer and has inevitably attracted interest from several top European clubs.
But the Echo claim Liverpool are not "considering pursuing" Alaba at this moment in time.
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