Liverpool must focus on realistic January transfer targets

Thanks to the successful tenure of Jurgen Klopp as manager, Liverpool is once again considered to be one of the biggest clubs in European football, which inevitably means that Anfield is touted as a destination of choice for high-profile players. Nevertheless, any transfer move implies a certain degree of risk, requiring plenty of careful thought before taking the plunge, and that includes assurances of genuine interest from all parties concerned.

But while the Reds must focus their efforts on making the safest bets during this upcoming transfer window, fans are also advised to choose safe betting sites, whenever thinking about backing any potential player moves. Wagering on transfer deals has become hugely popular at online bookmakers, although not all of them rate highly for trust and reliability, which SBO experts insist as being the first criteria for consideration via their in-depth reviews.

Clubs will inevitably be taking a similar approach themselves, basing any decisions on thorough scouting and their own particular needs, ahead of sanctioning costly transfer deals. Due to the current circumstances at Liverpool, given that Fenway Sports Group appears open to selling their controlling stake at the club, funding for the January transfer window could be quite limited. So which of the currently touted moves are most likely?

Dutch forward could be wishful thinking

Hailed for his outstanding performances for with the Netherlands, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been a great stage for Cody Gakpo to showcase his talents, earning widespread praise from pundits and inevitable interest from numerous Premier League clubs. He was already close to leaving PSV Eindhoven for England last summer, strongly linked with a switch to Manchester United, before they finally turned their attention to Brazilian forward Antony.

Now it seems that Gakpo is firmly back on the Old Trafford agenda, yet one former Liverpool player believes that Anfield would be a better destination. Interviewed by gaming site ggrecon.com and giving his thoughts about the World Cup tournament, Glen Johnson was asked whether Liverpool should make a move for the Dutchman. In his opinion, the Reds must attempt to hijack any move made by Manchester United, claiming the talented 23-year-old would be an ideal addition to the Liverpool attacking unit.

Nevertheless, while Manchester United could face potential rival bids from elsewhere, they do seem to have the upper hand regarding plans to sign Gakpo, who has already expressed his keen interest in joining the project led by Erik ten Hag. Any links to Liverpool have been speculative at best, with no indications of any enquiries from the Anfield hierarchy, indicating any such approach is highly unlikely.

Attention required to reinforce defensive options

Trawling through the gossip columns and fishing for the most interesting stories, many appear focused on Liverpool going for midfielders and attackers, claiming these are the key areas where Klopp is looking to strengthen during the transfer window. But once the market opens in January, there could be alternative considerations for the Reds boss, who may decide to start planning for the future with defensive reinforcements.

Solid and consistent defending is the keystone to any Liverpool challenge for silverware, indicating that Klopp will seek more youthful options at the back. One particularly interesting option is Anderlecht defensive starlet Zeno Debast, due to the 19-year-old earning rave reviews for his performances, already touted as the “next Vincent Kompany” by various Belgian journalists. This would also be a very astute move for Klopp, should the opportunity arise during the January transfer window.

Virgil van Dijk and Joël Matip are the preferred centre-back pairing, both of whom are 31 and will eventually need replacing, which led to the arrival of Ibrahima Konaté with glowing reviews in the summer of 2021. However, his fitness and form has been questionable, with Joe Gomez featuring more often during the 2022-23 campaign. Getting another central defender is quite an understated priority, making a possible bid for Debast all the more intriguing, as Liverpool follow his progress with much more than just a passing interest.