21 January 2024 , 05:00
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Liverpool have been quiet in the January transfer window so far, with returning loaness the only thing to get excited about for fans.
Recalling Calvin Ramsay from Preston, Nat Phillips from Celtic, Owen Beck from Dundee, James Balagizi from Wigan and Billy Koumetio from USL Dunkerque aren’t the most eye-catching moves for the Reds, who have also found new clubs for Fabio Carvalho and Rhys Williams.
Fanciful links with Kylian Mbappe have been the stuff of dreams, rather than reality so far. But with the France star poised to leave Paris Saint-Germain in the summer when his contract expires, you never know. With just 10 days left in the window, it appears more likely that Liverpool might keep their powder dry for the summer now. With that in mind, here are the latest rumours.
Mbappe's transfer strategy
Mbappe has been teasing fans by failing to confirm his plans for years, with Real Madrid being made to wait for his long-anticipated move to be made. The 25-year-old superstar has long been expected to move to the Spanish capital, yet Liverpool have been mentioned as a plausible alternative, especially if Mo Salah moves on.
That won’t happen, according to William Gallas, who is convinced he’s off to Real. “I think Kylian has a strategy in place from a long time ago. He knows where he’s going to go,” he told Gambling Zone. “He’s just turned 25, so he’ll go to Real Madrid. He’ll go to Real because he said a long time ago that it was his club.
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“He was a big fan of Real Madrid, like he was a fan of PSG. Everything looks like he’s going there. Even if it was a difficult last season with his contract situation. Even if he likes the Premier League, I don’t think he’ll go to the Premier League.”
Kylian Mbappe is set to leave PSG (Catherine Steenkeste)Reds interested in Atalanta star
Despite the lack of movement this month, Liverpool are still being linked with players. A new one to add to the list is Atalanta midfielder Ederson, who has caught the eye with six goals and an assist in 27 appearances for the Italian club.
According to La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Liverpool have joined Newcastle, Barcelona and Manchester United in a race to sign the Brazilian. The report suggests a deal won’t happen this month, but a £32million fee could see Atalanta part ways with him in the summer.
Atalanta are expecting Teun Koopmeiners to leave and don’t want to lose both players at once. He’s been strongly linked with a move to Juventus this month.
Atalanta midfielder Ederson is a target for Liverpool (Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images)Klopp makes transfer admission
Liverpool have made a habit of using the January window in recent seasons, signing Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz previously, but they are not keen on doing so this time around.
The injury to Joel Matip suggested the club might move for a new central defender in January, but that now appears increasingly unlikely. Jurgen Klopp is happy with his squad and that means the team look set to be inactive in the winter market for the first time since 2019.
Before the Bournemouth game, Klopp said: “At the moment it looks like it will be a quiet window, I can guarantee that, but at the moment it is all fine.”