Keys to a Successful 2016 January Transfer Window for Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp enters alien territory when the new year rolls in, as the new Liverpool manager makes his first steps into the hysteria of the Premier League's January transfer market, and the German will be wise to plot a thorough game plan before the frenetic winter window begins.
During his time with Borussia Dortmund, Klopp rarely forayed into the January market, and as he told the Independent's Carl Markham this month, this is unlikely to change now he is at the helm at Anfield.
"We try to be prepared all the time but this window in January is not the easiest one," he said. "There are big prices in the market so I am not the biggest friend of the January transfer window, but if we have to react to it, we will react to it.
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His final assertion, that he and his recruitment staff could "react" to the shifting dynamic of his squad and the transfer market, is an important one, however. Klopp is not totally ruling out business on Merseyside this January.
So how can the 48-year-old ensure his first transfer window in charge at Liverpool is a successful one?
Klopp has spent the first months of his Reds reign assessing the respective qualities of the players currently at his disposal, with this representing an admirable approach after he dismissed knee-jerk reports suggesting he would look to flood his squad with familiar faces, such as Neven Subotic and Ilkay Gundogan, per Bild (via the Daily Mail).
After 16 games and a considerable amount of rotation, Klopp will have a reasonable idea of who features in his long-term vision at Liverpool, but he would be wise to continue to evaluate his personnel at this stage.
The return of Jon Flanagan from injury, for example—a player Klopp is "really looking forward" to working with, according to the club's official website—could provide Liverpool with a valuable reinforcement on both defensive flanks.
At centre-back, hints of a blossoming partnership between Dejan Lovren and Mamadou Sakho in Saturday's 1-0 win at home to Leicester City suggested Klopp should give this pair more time, rather than make a move for Subotic.
Further ahead on the field, Christian Benteke's assertion, as reported by the Press Association (h/t This is Anfield), that he "can adapt" to Klopp's demanding attacking system pleads with the manager to give the Belgian more time to impress, despite a difficult start to life on Merseyside.
The tactical overhaul Klopp is implementing in his new position will see many players take longer to adjust, and though it could come to his detriment in the short term, he can spend this January period continuing to assess his players' merits.
"Maybe a player will leave us, I don't know, if he comes to me and says something, but it is not a situation I want," Klopp continued to explain to Markham, highlighting another key area that he must address this winter.
Though many of his players have expressed their delight at working under Klopp, his squad remains littered with players who could be eyeing a move elsewhere.
Jose Enrique, for example, is yet to feature for the Reds this season after initially facing exile under former manager Brendan Rodgers. The Spaniard has been linked with a move to West Bromwich Albion in January, as relayed by Steve Morgan of the Star, and joining Tony Pulis' physical outfit could be profitable.
Furthermore, promising midfielder Joao Carlos Teixeira is another player who could benefit from a move away from Merseyside, having made just one appearance under Klopp so far.
The 22-year-old finds himself on the fringes of Klopp's first team, but competing with the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana for a starting role, it would benefit Teixeira to seek a temporary transfer, having enjoyed a season-long loan with Brighton and Hove Albion in 2014/15.
Other potential loanees include Brazilian midfielder Allan and right-back Ryan McLaughlin, with the latter rejoining the Reds this month after an unsuccessful spell with Aberdeen but unlikely to trouble Klopp's first-team ranks.
Gaining clarity on the futures of a number of peripheral figures within his squad, and pruning his ranks of any deadwood, will give Klopp a better idea of whether he needs to make any moves this winter.
Similarly, drawing conclusions when it comes to the fitness of a number of key players could give Klopp the impetus to move into the market in January.
Daniel Sturridge's position is perhaps the most important in this regard, and speaking to the Mail's Dominic King this week, the German suggested he would take a patient approach to the striker's recovery after a long run of injury issues:
"You ask him and he says he's good. I know he is good. But he has to train. We cannot change the situation. He has to train now. With him, last week and this week are most intensive weeks in training for Daniel Sturridge in the last three years. So now you can see what we have to do. We cannot say 'Come on Daniel! Now you look good, so you can play!'
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Klopp is taking a pragmatic approach to Sturridge's fitness, but with Divock Origi joining the England international on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury against Leicester, Klopp's attacking ranks look decidedly slim at this stage—Benteke and Roberto Firmino serve as his only senior options to lead the line, with Danny Ings out for the season with an ACL problem.
The German addressed the prevalence of injuries at Liverpool as a possible factor behind any movement in January when speaking to Markham, saying "maybe we have to react if we have another injury because we have a lot of games in the transfer window."
Martin Skrtel, James Milner, Jordan Rossiter and Joe Gomez are all also injured at this crucial stage, and as Liverpool play seven games in January, further injury to Sturridge, or any number of first-team players, could prompt Klopp to sign reinforcements in the transfer window.
But the patient approach stressed by Klopp heading into the new year is hugely important, and remaining in line with his principles is key to success in the January transfer window.
For Klopp, 2015/16 should represent a lengthy adjustment period, and the former Dortmund manager is right to remain cautious when it comes to the January market; the likes of Sturridge and Luis Suarez highlight the benefits of midseason arrivals, while costly mistakes in signing Fernando Morientes and Andy Carroll, for example, underline its pitfalls.
Klopp's is a squad that will need a plethora of additions before it is capable of performing to the standard that he will expect after a successful seven-year spell at Dortmund, but as the manager suggests, January is not the best juncture to make wholesale changes.
Though signing a new goalkeeper, centre-back, defensive midfielder and a reliable striker will be on supporters' wish lists this winter, it may not be the same situation for Klopp.
Spending the rest of the season assessing his squad, slowly building the right mentality and identifying future targets is the correct approach for Klopp this January.
Taking a pragmatic stance and being able to "react" to any issues over the next month is a wise move.
Statistics via Transfermarkt.co.uk.
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