Liverpool Transfer News: How Reds' January Window Will Affect Rest of Season

As the January transfer window closes during a dramatic English Premier League season, Liverpool find themselves within the Champions League qualification positions and well placed to have their best finish in many years.

The Reds have scored an impressive 58 goals in the top division this season, per Squawka, with the partnership of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge in rampant form. 

However, this window has been one of disappointment in comparison to last January, where Brendan Rodgers secured the services of Sturridge and the bargain purchase of the then-20-year-old Brazilian prospect Philippe Coutinho, an £8.5 million purchase from Inter Milan, per BBC Sport.

This January saw Rodgers pursue Mohamed Salah from Basel, via Ross Dunbar of Mirror Football, and £16 million Ukrainian forward Yevhen Konoplyanka, per Andy Hunter of The Guardian. 

However, the Welshman failed in his endeavors, seeing Chelsea gazump Liverpool for the Egyptian talent Salah, as Jose Mourinho took the player as a replacement for Juan Mata, via Sky Sports.

Rodgers was quoted by Hunter proclaiming his disappointment in losing Salah, saying:

"

We can identify the players that we want to bring in and we hope we can get them in. If we can the club will do everything possible to match the value of the player. If they end up going to another club that is difficult to take. But you can't worry about it, you've just got to keep looking forward.

"

The biggest threat to Liverpool not achieving their objectives this year is that of a thread-bare squad, as the injuries start to pile up.

Rodgers will be well aware of this, and the lack of January signings to offer a contingency will worry many supporters.

Salah and Konoplyanka would have been shrewd additions to the fold by Rodgers, taking some of the weight off the shoulders of the brilliant Suarez. 

But it is in defence that maybe the Reds have the most issues, with injuries to Mamadou Sakho, Jose Enrique, Danny Agger and the indefinite sidelining of England right-back Glen Johnson who could miss the rest of the campaign, per Dominic King of Mail Online.

Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images

This weakening of the defence is an incredible hurdle to overcome, as Liverpool battle Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United for the coveted final Champions League position. 

If Suarez can remain fit, you would not bet against Rodgers' team realising his dream of breaking into the top four, but if anything happens to the mercurial hitman, then Liverpool's chances immediate recede. 

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

The summer will offer the Anfield club the chance to strengthen, and retaining Suarez will also become a huge priority once again.

Even though the Uruguayan has pledged his future to the club, there is little doubt that he will be subject to a number of huge bids from the world's richest clubs.