Liverpool Transfer Update: Jeremy Jacquet, Joel Ordonez and Marc Guehi | OneFootball

Liverpool defensive depth under scrutiny as January questions grow

Liverpool’s injury problems at centre back have reopened an uncomfortable discussion about squad planning, timing and intent. Arne Slot’s debut season ended in Premier League glory, but the title defence has unravelled badly, with Liverpool now sitting seventh. Saturday’s 2-0 win over Brighton offered some respite, yet it also delivered another blow, with Joe Gomez picking up yet another injury.

That leaves Slot with only Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate as senior options. Giovanni Leoni’s situation has already removed any safety net, after the teenager suffered an ACL injury on his Liverpool debut back in September and was ruled out for the season. In that context, January feels less like an opportunity and more like a necessity, but history suggests Liverpool will not panic.

Speaking to Dave Davis for Anfield Index, David Lynch offered a measured and revealing assessment of how Liverpool are likely to approach the window, and why supporters should temper expectations.

Evidence from previous windows shapes expectations

Lynch was clear that Liverpool’s track record matters more than the noise surrounding the current injury list. He said, “I just think that we’ve seem too much evidence over a long period of time that the club aren’t too bothered about things like that.”

That comment speaks to a long standing policy at Anfield, one rooted in resisting short term fixes unless a deal aligns perfectly with the club’s broader recruitment strategy. Liverpool have consistently avoided overpaying in January, even when circumstances appear to demand it.

There is also the unresolved business from last summer. Liverpool had agreed a £35m deal for Marc Guehi, only for the move to collapse in the final hours of the window. That failure continues to loom large, especially now that defensive numbers are so thin.

As Lynch explained, “If they can move forward a deal that they were looking to do in the summer, then potentially they can do it, but I’m not so sure.” It is a line that captures both possibility and doubt, a familiar theme for Liverpool followers.

Guehi complications and World Cup context

Any January revival of the Guehi deal appears unlikely. Lynch outlined the broader context, saying, “I can’t really see the sense in Marc Guehi leaving Crystal Palace in January either when it’s a world cup year and he has a chance of winning a European trophy with them.”

Photo: IMAGO

From Palace’s perspective, selling a key defender mid season makes little sense unless it is for mega-money. From Guehi’s viewpoint, stability and exposure ahead of a World Cup year are powerful incentives to stay put. Lynch reinforced that view, adding, “I don’t see Guehi moving in January. It would be so helpful if Liverpool could get him, but whether it’s actually on the cards, it’s difficult to say.”

Alternative targets and January reality

Liverpool’s scouting department has not stood still. Lynch confirmed, “Jeremy Jacquet and Joel Ordonez are definitely two players that they have looked at, but it would still surprise me if they make a move in January.”

Both defenders fit Liverpool’s profile, young, high ceiling, and capable of development. Yet the timing remains problematic. January deals often come with inflated fees and limited negotiation leverage, conditions Liverpool traditionally avoid.

That leads to Lynch’s most sobering conclusion, “I wouldn’t get too excited about the idea that Liverpool will sign someone in January.”

For Slot, the challenge is immediate. For the club, the calculation is longer term. The tension between those two realities defines Liverpool’s current predicament, and unless something shifts dramatically, it may be van Dijk and Konate carrying an enormous burden for the months ahead.