Liverpool have another full week to prepare for their next game against Man United, so the news focus returns to training and the transfer market.
Weekend rumours hold little credibility
Not one, not two, but three transfer rumours over the last 48 hours or so…and we’ve seen them all before.
In truth, there’s little to get excited about, given the stories are so full of loopholes, covering all the bases and making sure they can’t be held to account.
Just like most rumours, these days…!
First up, Liverpool are back in for Ousmane Dembele for around £90 million…but Luis Suarez’s season-ending injury—he had knee surgery and faces five months out—means Barcelona won’t let the Frenchman leave.
Second, with Man United waiting until the summer to decide on a move for Kai Havertz, the Reds opted to swoop in and speak to his reps this month instead. But the player hasn’t made his mind up and Bayern are favourites to sign him from Leverkusen.
And finally, we were interested in a cash-plus-Loris Karius deal for Trabzonspor goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, they said no; we offered €15 million straight cash, they still said no. End of season it is, then.
Casting wider glances
Another weekend has come and gone in the Premier League…and another weekend has come and gone where the Reds proved too good for their opponents.
Casting a glance further afield, Liverpool’s win carried extra significance as Leicester, long-term second-place rivals for the current campaign, dropped points once more as their woeful form continued.
It’s all about the consistency, fellas.
Here’s our complete round-up of the top flight and what you need to know about, including VAR, Danny Ings and a record-breaking hat-trick from Sergio Aguero.
And in a similar vein, our regular loan watch feature notes a couple of youngsters finding the back of the net, and one or two making their debuts for new loan clubs.
Baby steps
Liverpool youngsters know loan football is part of the learning curve before becoming first-team regulars—for some, at least.
- Rhian Brewster says there’s more to come after a tough debut outing at Swansea
- Nat Phillips‘ one-appearance spell with the Reds is over as he heads back to Stuttgart for the rest of the campaign
- And fellow defender Rhys Williams has had his loan extended for the rest of the season too, at Kidderminster
Robbo’s latest example of the mentality monsters
Records are falling, right, left and centre where Liverpool are concerned.
But the players aren’t fixated on them—they’re just a means to an end.
Andy Robertson has explained precisely why the records themselves don’t mean as much to the squad as might be assumed—not yet, at least.
And he’s dead right. His mindset is the perfect representation of what we need to finish the job, this year and beyond.
Quickfire LFC news
- Reds legend Robbie Fowler has praised the humility as well as the ability of Curtis Jones (Mirror)
- There’s praise for Adam Lallana for becoming Klopp’s recent go-to man for all occasions (Planet Football)
- Almost half a million Euros were raised by comedians, led by John Bishop, in support of Reds fan Sean Cox (Irish Independent)
- And you can check out the best 100 goals of the decade by Liverpool players at your leisure here (TIA)
Around the Prem
- Arsenal are the targets of a takeover bid by African billionaire Aliko Dangote, who wants to buy the club in 2021 (Evening Standard)
- Everton want £20m Inter midfielder Matias Vecino if Christian Eriksen moves from Spurs to the Milan club (Corriere dello Sport)
- Bruno Fernandes wants to swap Sporting CP for Man United, with the Portuguese club wanting Marcos Rojo in the deal (Sky Sports/O Jogo)
- And Benfica midfielder Gedson Fernandes is due for a medical at Spurs ahead of an 18-month loan (BBC Sport)
Stupid comment of the day
“He is, in my opinion, better than any of Liverpool’s midfield players.”
—Andy Gray there, suggesting Aston Villa‘s Jack Grealish—the 24-year-old with no international caps and around 50 Premier League appearances to his name—is better than every option possessed by Jurgen Klopp in his squad full of European champions, world champions and soon-to-be Premier League champions.
Tweet of the day
? UNREAL ?
A @GWijnaldum masterclass vs @SpursOfficial ?? pic.twitter.com/r4r2JyfujW
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 13, 2020
What we’re reading
Jonathan Liew warns Tottenham fans, in the Guardian, under Jose Mourinho they face years of small-minded cynicism.
And sticking with the Spurs theme but looking further upstairs, Seb Stafford-Bloor writes for FourFourTwo why it’s time for Daniel Levy to employ a sporting director.
Worth watching tonight
The official recommendation is to have a night off, but if you must watch something, make it Parma vs. Lecce in Serie A. 7:45pm kick-off, Premier Sports 1. Or the Reds’ U23s against Southampton at 7pm…
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