12 Transfers Liverpool Should Be Looking at Between January and Summer
Liverpool's recent improvement in terms of both results and performances means the Reds once again have hopes of finishing in the top four this season.
Now into January, manager Brendan Rodgers might hope to add one or two players to his squad over the coming weeks, though most transfer activity might have to wait until the summer. With Steven Gerrard's departure already confirmed, the Reds will have more restructuring to do to make themselves the successful outfit Rodgers wants them to be.
Both now and in the summer, they will need to move some individuals out and recruit smartly to ensure silverware is not too far away. Here are a dozen deals they can look at in this transfer window and the next to make sure of that progression.
In: New Starting Goalkeeper
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Simon Mignolet's error-strewn season saw him dropped, while his replacement, Brad Jones, didn't look any more secure—and then got himself injured.
Clean sheet at Sunderland aside, Liverpool have rarely looked like the team has confidence in their last line of defence, and the consistent, awful errors in distribution, defending aerial balls into the box and basic handling means a new No. 1 is paramount.
There can't really be any excuse for not signing one in January. If FFP is an issue, a sale must be made to accommodate a new purchase. Liverpool need a much better starting goalkeeper.
Best-case scenario: Hugo Lloris.
Out: Oussama Assaidi
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Oussama Assaidi had a successful spell out on loan at Stoke City last season, but he was never going to be part of Brendan Rodgers' plans for this term and seemed close to a permanent deal this summer.
It didn't happen, and he ended up back at Stoke on loan.
The Reds need to offload him permanently and potentially make a sizeable profit on the Moroccan. But with him not featuring as much this season, the chances of that happening seem to be decreasing.
Best-case scenario: Signs a permanent deal with Stoke in January for £5 million or more.
Out: Iago Aspas
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Spanish forward Iago Aspas is not setting La Liga alight with Sevilla this season.
Aspas is a mere back-up, a squad option for a team fighting for a top-four place. He has scored just once in Europe, a hat-trick in a low-key cup game and not at all in league play this term.
He has no future at Anfield and, likely in summer, needs to go elsewhere.
Best-case scenario: Aspas returns to Spain for a nominal fee.
In: Genuine Back-Up for Daniel Sturridge
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Divock Origi is still on loan at Lille, and there is no new news of whether he will join up with his Anfield team-mates in January or in the summer. Either way, he's not a ready-made replacement for the stricken Daniel Sturridge and expectations should be kept grounded for whenever he arrives.
The Reds desperately need to bring in more firepower, though, with the pace and ability to run in behind defences a key feature of any potential incoming personnel.
It looks extremely unlikely that this will happen in January.
Best-case scenario: A well-researched target identified early and signed quickly in summer who can fit systems with one or two centre-forwards.
In: Holding Midfielder
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Liverpool haven't operated with a true defensive midfielder for a long time—realistically since Javier Mascherano's departure. Christian Poulsen doesn't count, and Lucas Leiva, despite being a predominantly defensive-minded player, was converted from a roving, box-to-box, offensive engine of a player.
It's entirely possible that Lucas will leave the club shortly, but even if he doesn't, the squad needs another true holding player who can operate either in the 3-4-2-1 system of present or at the base of the more frequently seen 1-2 shape in the centre, such as in a diamond midfield or 4-3-3.
Again, this is one that will likely have to wait until summer.
Best-case scenario: An aggressive challenger, mobile and good in possession. They must be able to cover entire width of the pitch. Any chance Chelsea will loan Nemanja Matic for two years?
In: Driving Force in Central Midfield to Replace Steven Gerrard
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So now we know: Steven Gerrard's Liverpool story is in its final chapter. He will depart for LA Galaxy in summer and the Reds, though well-stocked in the centre of the park, need someone new to fill Gerrard's boots.
It shouldn't be said that they need a replacement for the captain; he is, in many ways, irreplaceable. But in others—ability to play between both boxes over 90 minutes, set-piece delivery, contribution to goalscoring—he's not.
But the right candidate, who will bring balance to the team in a variety of tactical systems, must be found.
Best-case scenario: An offensive midfielder who complements a) Jordan Henderson and b) the holding midfielder from the previous slide.
Out: At Least One of the Three Ill-Favoured Forwards
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Three months ago, Rickie Lambert couldn't get a look in for Liverpool. He played the odd cup game and made a couple of sub appearances in the league, but he generally looked unfit, lumbering and on the fringes.
Six weeks ago, Lambert suddenly played five or six games in a row, 90 minutes in almost all of them, while Fabio Borini failed even to make the bench at all—even when there were no other forwards available and Liverpool had to win in the Champions League.
Fast forward to two games ago, when Mario Balotelli—who was the guaranteed starter regardless of performance or system at the start of the campaign—didn't even make the bench, with Borini and Lambert ahead of him and youngster Sheyi Ojo included.
Clearly, none of the three have done enough during Daniel Sturridge's long absence to be considered indispensable or even worth persisting with. They all keep rotating, none are scoring and, though flashes and certain aspects of each player's game impress at times, none have made a case to be part of the team's long-term planning.
Best-case scenario: Borini accepts a move if another is forthcoming for the same sort of £14 million fee that was on the table in summer. Failing that, a permanent bid for Balotelli comes in that doesn't see the club lose out too much financially.
In: Central Defender
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Now that Mamadou Sakho is finally—and correctly—being widely acknowledged as the club's best and most reliable defender, Liverpool need to plan and build around him at the back. He needs a proper, regular, quality partner in the centre, whether in a three or a flat four.
Dejan Lovren patently isn't the answer, and Martin Skrtel has never been anything more than good—Premier League standard, sure, but not a top-class centre-back.
Someone who can read the game, drop off behind and dominate aerially when needed is what the Reds still need.
Best-case scenario: Maybe this time they can convince Raphael Varane to join, given his compatriot is getting regular game time and would be his partner for both club and country.
Out: Jose Enrique
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It has been a long time since Jose Enrique has contributed anything positive to Liverpool's play on a regular basis. Injuries, other absences and the emergence of Jon Flanagan (last season) and Alberto Moreno (this) mean he is an unnecessary squad filler.
Aside from anything else, his abject display at QPR earlier this season should have long confirmed he is not of the required standard.
Best-case scenario: Permanent sale, early in summer. A lower-to-mid-table team should have no trouble accommodating him and paying somewhere around the £3 to 5 million region, depending on how long is left on his contract.
Out: Glen Johnson
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On the opposite side of defence, Glen Johnson is similarly out of fortune and favour. He had another brief run in the team at the beginning of winter, but an injury at Old Trafford in mid-December has seen him miss the last seven matches.
Out of contract in summer and on a massive wage, Johnson is obsolete in the team at his current earning level and especially with the the side improving without him—again.
Best-case scenario: Johnson departs on a free in summer.
In: Full-Back Cover
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If both those two experienced full-backs are to leave, Liverpool need to add one to their ranks in the summer.
Flanagan, Moreno and on-loan Javi Manquillo are aggressive, talented and combine a range of traits between them, but Liverpool will still need another face, possibly a more experienced option who still has mobility and consistency to his game.
Manquillo could make his move permanent in summer but, with another year to run on his loan, there is no rush, and the Reds would be wise to continue overseeing his progression and development.
Best-case scenario: It depends on whether Rodgers continues with three at the back. If so, someone who can cover centre-back as well as play as a defensive-minded full-back might be best, such as Toby Alderweireld, Micah Richards or Lucas Orban.
Out: Permanently Offload Loaned-out Younger Players Who Won't Make It
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Sebastian Coates.
Tiago Ilori.
Andre Wisdom.
Joao Teixeira.
Luis Alberto.
All five have either shown they have the potential to contribute to Liverpool or had spells of promising action when they seem close to the first-team scene at Anfield, but none have made a position their own.
Ultimately, it looks as though none of the five will quite have enough about them—with Ilori being perhaps the exception if he can recover from what has been a woeful loan spell at Bordeaux—to make the grade at Anfield as the team looks to continue to improve in their absence.
Loaning them out again will not benefit Liverpool, as they're unlikely to progress enough to establish themselves afterward. Together, they could raise upward of £10 million, which could be put to better use elsewhere. It's likely that the summer will be time for all five to move on and sever their ties with Liverpool.
Best-case scenario: Between Alberto, Coates and Wisdom, the Reds should be able to bring in close to £10m. Best case would see Ilori return to feature—but sold for a fair amount if not.
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