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A reliable journalist has advised Liverpool fans not to expect a flurry of activity in the January transfer window, although the Reds could remain ‘alert to any opportunities’ which might arise.
Richard Hughes oversaw a very quiet summer to begin his reign as the Reds’ sporting director, with only two players signed towards the end of August – Federico Chiesa (who’s barely featured so far) and Giorgi Mamardashvili (who won’t arrive at Anfield until next year).
That lack of market activity hasn’t hampered Arne Slot in his first few months as head coach, with 15 wins from 17 games taking LFC to the top of the Premier League and Champions League standings, and it’s been claimed that he’ll likely be content with the status quo in terms of his squad.
Pearce expecting quiet January transfer window at Liverpool
Responding to readers’ questions in a Liverpool mailbag for The Athletic, James Pearce indicated that the January transfer window is unlikely to be a busy one for the Merseysiders, but he didn’t completely rule out the possibility of incomings.
He wrote: “I’d be surprised if Liverpool do much, if anything, in the January window. Slot believes he has depth in all departments and his options will be enhanced with the returns of Diogo Jota, Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa and Alisson.
“There is no glaring need to do business, but that might change if injuries bite. Few clubs are willing to lose their top talent for reasonable prices midway through a season, but as we saw with the purchase of Luis Diaz from Porto in January 2022 and Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven 12 months later, Liverpool will be alert to any opportunities in the market.”
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Liverpool can’t let golden opportunity pass them by
Liverpool fans have grown accustomed to what might be termed a steady approach from FSG in the transfer market, with the summer 2023 transfer window an outlier in recent years in terms of the level of activity which was completed.
At full strength, Slot could conceivably field two starting XIs with an abundance of quality, but injuries are an inevitable fact of life in elite football, and we only need to look at last season for evidence of how a squad can be decimated and trophy-winning ambitions duly thwarted.
As Jamie Carragher has pointed out, the Reds ought to use their advantageous position in the Premier League as an incentive to flex their muscles and enhance an already thriving team.
Pearce has referenced Liverpool’s track record for astute January purchases, with Diaz and Gakpo following on from the likes of Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho and Virgil van Dijk in arriving at Anfield mid-season before making a significant impact.
We’re not expecting a Chelsea-esque trolley dash over the winter, but LFC should certainly be looking towards the first month of 2025 as a glorious opportunity to strengthen what they already have and make it even more difficult for Manchester City and Arsenal to reel them in.
