Liverpool transfer news as ‘priority’ emerges and Barcelona wants Jürgen Klopp to win race

All around the Premier League, it has been pretty quiet in the January transfer market so far. Liverpool has not made a move but neither has the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal — the two sides most worth keeping tabs on from a Reds perspective in terms of the title race that is likely to take place over the next few months.

Jürgen Klopp has suffered another injury blow with Trent Alexander-Arnold set to miss around three weeks with an issue he sustained against Arsenal in the FA Cup and Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas are likely to be sidelined until at least then too. That means that Liverpool is looking very short at the back.

But the Reds are aware that when those players return, the squad will instantly look much more healthy again. Bringing someone in for a period of a few weeks is not going to happen; only if a long-term target becomes available a few months earlier than expected will that be accelerated this month, as was the case with Cody Gakpo last year.

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“The way we do business and the way our ownership works — of course you are relying on Champions League money, but not so much because we do our things really well,” Pep Lijnders explained ahead of today’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Fulham at Anfield. “If we do not have it, we don’t do it.

“If we have it, we do. Sometimes it is because salaries are going away when players go, so this can make a big difference to whether you do things or not. If you see it when it happens it is more complex than you think. Champions League money is about a lot of things. There is not a good manager without good ownership. The ownership invested in the squad where we needed to invest and that’s already a really good sign.”

Here is the Liverpool.com verdict on the transfer gossip to emerge around the Reds today. We start with a name that has been linked before but not for a while.

Pedro Neto (Wolves)

Liverpool has identified Wolves and Portugal forward Pedro Neto as a ‘priority’ signing to replace Mohamed Salah, according to Spanish outlet Fichajes. Arsenal is also taking a look at the 23-year-old attacker.

It is suggested that Kylian Mbapp would be higher up the list for Liverpool but the financial reality of that deal will probably make it impossible, therefore the Reds are lining up alternative options. Neto is said to be among those being looked at as a possibility.

Liverpool.com says: Neto has shown some good output this season in a Wolves team that does not score or create loads of chances, which is a promising sign. But he has also had quite a lot of injury troubles over the years including spending two months out already this season.

For Liverpool, when it does come to replacing Salah, signing someone with an impeccable injury record needs to be a priority and there are better options out there when it comes to that than Neto. He would not come cheaply, either, so gambling on his fitness would not be a wise move.

Kylian Mbappé (PSG)

Liverpool is still being linked with a move for PSG superstar forward Mbappé and Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo (print edition, via Paisley Gates) reports that the Reds ‘long’ for him to replace Salah. Mbappé, it is said, would be offered the ‘King’s throne’ at Anfield.

By contrast, if Mbappé went to Real Madrid, he would have to compete with Vinícius Jr. for a spot on the left wing and Jude Bellingham for the second striker role. According to the report, Barcelona is desperate for Liverpool to win the race as well because it fears what Real Madrid could become with Mbappé added to an already stellar squad.

Liverpool.com says: It is true that Real Madrid already has excellent forward options but there are ways around that and Mbappé would hardly struggle to find a way into the side. It remains the case that Liverpool will find it hard to compete for his signature from an economic standpoint and Mbappé ending up at Anfield is an unlikely outcome.