What do Liverpool need to do in the January transfer window? | OneFootball

Liverpool spent big in the summer transfer window, but as January approaches, it is clear that spending big has not solved every problem.

Despite splashing out an extraordinary £446.2m, the reigning Premier League champions find themselves in a worse position than they were at this stage last season. This campaign was never going to be straightforward, yet few expected Liverpool to look this vulnerable so quickly.

With the January window opening, attention inevitably turns to recruitment and whether another busy month lies ahead for Richard Hughes and the club’s recruitment team.

Liverpool have a strong track record of winter business shaping seasons and eras. Philippe Coutinho, Luis Suárez and Virgil van Dijk all arrived in January between 2012 and 2018, each transforming the club in different ways. More recently, Cody Gakpo and Luis Díaz provided timely boosts midway through campaigns.

Centre-Backs: A Long-Term Problem, Not a Quick Fix

Defensively, Liverpool’s issues run deeper than one January signing can solve. They conceded far too many goals in the first half of the season and carry a goal difference of just four, alarming for a side with title pretensions.

The club were hours away from signing Marc Guéhi in the summer, and that was before Ibrahima Konaté’s error-strewn performances and Giovanni Leoni’s ACL injury complicated matters further. If Konaté or Virgil van Dijk were to suffer injury, the contingency plan appears flimsy at best. Joe Gomez’s fitness is unreliable, while the idea of Ryan Gravenberch or Wataru Endo deputising at centre-back for any length of time is hardly comforting.

Still, throwing another defender into a squad that has struggled to integrate six new summer signings risks repeating the same mistake. Van Dijk is not getting any younger, Konaté is out of contract at the end of the season and has lacked consistency, while Gomez could also be entering his final year at Anfield. Any defensive signing in January is more likely to be about depth or long-term succession planning than immediate salvation.

Given Liverpool are out of the title race, have only an outside shot at the Champions League and are projected to finish top-five, urgency is being replaced. A move for a secondary option such as Rennes youngster Jérémy Jacquet would make sense as a hedge against future problems rather than a silver-bullet solution.

Midfield and Loans: What next for Elliott?

One of the clearest January decisions concerns loans. Harvey Elliott’s situation at Aston Villa has become untenable. Five appearances short of triggering a £35m permanent move, with no realistic chance of reaching that target, the deal has stalled.

Villa’s form under Unai Emery explains Elliott’s limited role, but Liverpool are light both in midfield and wide areas. Bringing Elliott back could offer Slot an immediate boost without disrupting squad chemistry or balance. It would also allow the club to reassess his long-term future from a position of control rather than compromise.

Beyond Elliott, several other fringe players could be moved out on loan, though that may prove easier said than done. Reports suggest up to seven players could be allowed to leave, but finding suitable destinations mid-season is rarely straightforward.

The Forward Line: Salah, Isak and the Need for Cover

Injuries and absences have magnified Liverpool’s attacking concerns. Mohamed Salah is away at the Africa Cup of Nations and uncertainty continues to swirl around his long-term future. Alexander Isak’s leg fracture, which is expected to sideline him for at least two months, has further exposed the lack of depth.

Liverpool had identified Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo as a potential solution, but the £65m-rated forward appears set on joining Manchester City. Unless Liverpool can hijack that deal, alternative plans must already be in motion.

The club have long-standing interest in Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo and Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi. Any of those would represent a significant statement, even in January.

With Cody Gakpo currently the default option on the left and Rio Ngumoha still too young for sustained top-level minutes, competition and end product are badly needed.

Left Wing and Future-Proofing the Attack

Liverpool really miss Luis Diaz who tearing it up right now in the Bundesliga. During his time with the Reds, Luis Díaz played 148 matches, scored 41 goals, provided 17 assists, and won five trophies more than anything it was infectious press and tenacity and work rate on and off the ball which made him a real asset.

Calling for another forward after a summer that brought Isak, £116m Florian Wirtz and £79m and £125 on Isak Hugo Ekitike might seem crazy, but circumstances have changed rapidly. The absence of Salah, Isak’s injury and the physical demands of a long season have exposed thin margins.

Liverpool’s January history with attackers is impressive. Gakpo, Díaz, Sturridge, Suárez and Coutinho all arrived mid-season and left a mark. The question now is whether Liverpool can once again find value, timing and impact in the winter market.

Conclusion: Less Panic, More Precision

Liverpool tried to balance winning now with building for the future. Their struggles have pushed them decisively toward the latter. January does not demand reckless spending, but it does demand clarity.

Centre-back reinforcements make sense in the long term, midfield depth could be addressed internally through Elliott, and a versatile forward may be essential to stabilise the second half of the season. The title is gone, but the top-four race and the next phase of Slot’s rebuild are very much alive.

January will not define Liverpool’s season, but it could define what comes next.