Despite reports in Portugal linking Liverpool with a move for Sporting CP midfielder William Carvalho, claims of their interest have been quashed.
Carvalho had been considered one of Europe’s most promising young players over the past few years, but now 24, remains with Sporting after being priced out of a move to Arsenal.
He is still an excellent performer, however, establishing himself as a regular for both club and country, with his strength in the No. 6 role key to Portugal’s success at the summer’s European Championship in France.
And with Reds representatives in Lisbon this week to finalise the termination of Lazar Markovic‘s loan with Sporting, A Bola claim Carvalho was also on the agenda.
They reported that Sporting would only consider a deal worth over £26 million, with signing Carvalho a “priority” for Liverpool.
However, swiftly following these claims, the Liverpool Echo‘s James Pearce has moved to declare reports of Merseyside interest in Carvalho as “rubbish.”
This is not unexpected given Jurgen Klopp‘s unwavering faith in Jordan Henderson as his deep-lying midfielder, with links between Carvalho and Liverpool no more than a convenient rumour.
The Reds are not likely to make any signings in the January transfer window, with their top targets slipping out of their grasp mid-season.
Borussia Dortmund winger Christian Pulisic signed a new long-term contract on Monday afternoon, while both Bayer Leverkusen’s Julian Brandt and Spartak Moscow’s Quincy Promes won’t be moving this month.
Furthermore, Klopp has stressed his faith in his defensive personnel, insisting recent issues at the back are a collective issue, rather than one solved by the addition of a new player.
With Henderson suffering a recurring heel injury this season, acquiring backup for the captain could have been a focus for Klopp in the future, but this seems highly unlikely before the summer.
“It is not about money in this situation, it is the winter transfer window,” Klopp explained of Liverpool’s inactivity this month.
“Clubs are saying ‘No, we have half a year to go, we cannot find another player like this, we prefer to take money in the summer than a few pounds more in the winter than whatever’.
“So it is pretty easy. You see the situation. It’s tight, it’s close, we know that.
“But if the right decision is not possible in signing the right player then you cannot make the wrong transfer.”
While there is still the opportunity for Klopp to pull a surprise, his track record suggests he won’t be changing his approach any time soon.
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