After the winter transfer window opened on January 1 2023, we round up Liverpool’s done deals, plus the players linked with moves in and out of Anfield.
Firmino leaning towards Liverpool extension
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Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol says that Roberto Firmino could well remain at Liverpool beyond this season
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol says that Roberto Firmino could remain at Liverpool beyond this season.
The striker’s current deal expires in the summer. It is thought that Firmino would have to accept a deal on reduced terms if he was to remain at Anfield.
The 31-year-old has also been the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia, but not Al Nassr – Cristiano Ronaldo’s new club.
Liverpool interested in Nunes but summer move more likely
Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes is wanted by Liverpool
Liverpool maintain an interest in Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes – but Sky Sports News has been told they are more likely to pursue a deal in the summer rather than January.
The Reds do want to strengthen in midfield but will make sure they sign the right player, even if it means waiting until the end of the season.
Nunes is one of a number of midfielders Jurgen Klopp’s club are monitoring and there was an interest in the player before he joined Wolves from Sporting Lisbon last summer, while Manchester City have also been tracking him.
There have been reports that Liverpool will attempt to sign him for £44m but Sky Sports News has been told this fee is unrealistic, with Wolves valuing him at more than £50m.
There has certainly been no approach from Liverpool to Wolves yet this month over signing Nunes.
Klopp: Nobody has come to me and asked to leave the club
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Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp remains tight lipped on future signings but is happy with the latest addition, Cody Gakpo
New Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo could be involved in the FA Cup this weekend after not being included in the squad for the defeat at Brentford on Monday night.
Jurgen Klopp has not ruled out further signings now the window is open but it currently appears unlikely and the manager admits they have to raise some cash before more deals can be done.
“I am now here seven years and it is every window is pretty much the same; we talk about these things as though money didn’t play a role,” Klopp said.
“It is never like this. We sign an outstanding player like Cody Gakpo and then you read about the next player.
“We cannot play like Monopoly. Of course we cannot just spend and never could.
“It is a big part of my philosophy, working full of faith and trust with the players we have and not constantly telling them we need another player in the position.
“It is clear that you need real quality in all positions and two teams with the same level that you can rotate but people are surprised when we say we cannot start splashing the cash.
“If there is something we can do and that means right player and financial situation, we will do it.”
Asked whether any of his fringe players could be offloaded, he added: “That is a different situation, I don’t know.
“Nobody came to me and asked to leave the club, if that should be the case then I would listen but nobody came yet.”
Klopp: Gakpo arrival has ‘no impact’ on Firmino future
Roberto Firmino’s Liverpool contract expires in the summer
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Liverpool are currently in talks with Roberto Firmino over his future – but admitted the signing of Cody Gakpo has “no impact” on the club’s decision, according to The Mirror.
The Reds announced the arrival of the Netherlands international on Wednesday after they hijacked Manchester United’s pursuit of the 23-year-old.
The arrival of Gakpo has raised question marks over Firmino’s future, however, with the 31-year-old out of contract in the summer.
Liverpool now have six senior recognised attackers in the squad, with Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Gakpo and Firmino making up their forward department.
When asked about Firmino’s future and whether Gakpo’s arrival will have an impact, Klopp said: “No. We had talks with Bobby. From my point of view, I want him definitely to stay. It has no impact.
“If it affects Bobby, then you’d have to ask him.”
Gakpo joins Liverpool
Liverpool have completed the signing of Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo from PSV.
The Reds have paid between £35m and £45m for the forward, who scored three goals in five appearances at the World Cup in Qatar.
Gakpo, who underwent his medical on Merseyside on Wednesday afternoon, is understood to have signed a deal until 2028.
Klopp on ‘exceptional’ Bellingham: He’s so mature, you’d think he’s 29!
Jurgen Klopp refused to put a value on Liverpool target Jude Bellingham but again praised the Borussia Dortmund midfielder’s “exceptional” quality ahead of the January window.
Klopp is a long-time admirer of Bellingham and the teenager is expected to be his number one summer target, with the club understood to have already put a large amount of groundwork into a potential transfer.
However, the competition for the England international, who had a stellar World Cup, is already fierce, with Real Madrid and a number of other Premier League sides in the running.
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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says everyone knows England and Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham is ‘exceptional’
“I don’t like to talk about money when you talk about a player like him. Everyone can see he is just exceptional,” said the Liverpool manager.
“If you mention to someone who has no clue about football, or who knows about football and has not watched it for a while (and ask), ‘How old do you think Jude Bellingham is?’, I don’t think anyone would get even close to his age.
“They would say 28 or 29 because he plays so maturely. He played an exceptional World Cup. Absolutely exceptional.”
Who have Liverpool been linked with?
Matheus Nunes – Liverpool are exploring a deal to buy the Wolves midfielder Nunes as per an agreement last summer when the Portugal international was close to signing for the Anfield club but the transfer did not go through (Daily Telegraph, January 2).
Jude Bellingham – Jude Bellingham has reportedly been summoned to showdown talks with Dortmund chiefs as Europe’s biggest clubs fight over him (The Sun, January 3); Real Madrid are poised to sign Bellingham in the summer, which would see leave Liverpool miss out on their number one transfer target (Daily Express, December 29); Liverpool have been told to avoid paying a “stupid amount of money” for England star Bellingham and instead sign two players who can improve Jurgen Klopp’s squad at a lower price (Daily Express, December 29).
Hirving Lozano – Liverpool are in pole position to sign Napoli winger Lozano, according to reports in Italy (Daily Mirror, December 28).
Enzo Fernandez – Benfica have turned down an £88m offer from an unnamed club for their Argentina World Cup-winning midfielder, according to reports in Portugal (Mirror, December 24); Benfica have reportedly placed a £105m price tag on midfielder Fernandez, a potential target for Liverpool and Manchester United, in the wake of a fine set of performances for World Cup champions Argentina (The Sun, December 23); Argentina midfielder Fernandez’s preference would be a move to Liverpool as clubs line up to sign the Benfica player (The Mirror, December 21).
Enzo Fernandez won the World Cup with Argentina in Qatar
Arthur Melo – Liverpool are waiting on Jurgen Klopp to make a decision on the future of Arthur, with the Reds having an option to sign the Brazilian on a permanent basis for a fee in the region of £33m (Daily Express, December 23).
Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile – Manchester United and Liverpool are among the clubs keeping tabs on Preston prodigy Rodriguez-Gentile, who scored five times in an FA Youth Cup tie earlier this season (Daily Mirror, December 23).
Marcus Thuram – Allan Saint-Maximin hopes France World Cup star Thuram will turn down a move to Liverpool in favour of linking up with him at Newcastle (Daily Mail, December 23).
Sofyan Amrabat – Tottenham, Chelsea, Liverpool, West Ham, Newcastle and Atletico Madrid are among those eyeing developments on the future of Amrabat (Daily Mail, December 16); Liverpool are serious in their attempts to sign Amrabat, according to reports, and it has been claimed an offer of £35m would not be turned down by Fiorentina for the midfielder (Daily Express, December 22).
Sofyan Amrabat (right) shone for Morocco as they finished fourth at the World Cup
Youssoufa Moukoko – Chelsea face competition from Manchester United and Liverpool for Borussia Dortmund’s Moukoko, but interested clubs will have to convince the 18-year-old German that he will not be signed to sit on the bench (The Times, December 15).
Chris Rigg – Liverpool lead rivals Everton and Newcastle in the race to sign Sunderland’s England youth captain Rigg, who is being dubbed as the “next Jordan Henderson” (Daily Star on Sunday, December 10).
The players linked with a Liverpool exit
Roberto Firmino – Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Liverpool are in talks with Firmino over his future – but admitted the signing of Cody Gakpo has ‘no impact’ on the club’s decision (Daily Mirror, December 30).
Confirmed Liverpool signings
Cody Gakpo – PSV, £45m
Confirmed Liverpool departures
None.
