Liverpool are basking in the glory of again extending their lead at the top, and are now faced with both an FA Cup replay and a week of rest and recuperation.
Summer transfer plans explained
Liverpool didn’t do much business last summer and the same might turn out to be true in the coming months.
Jurgen Klopp, Michael Edwards and the other big decision-makers at Anfield aren’t fond of making moves for the sake of it, and we already know this team is far and away the best in the land.
Journalist Melissa Reddy has written, for the Independent, that the duo – plus Mike Gordon – have met to discuss summer plans and that the overriding theme is to not stray from what has worked.
That means additions will only be made if they meet the stringent criteria in place, not just from a financial standpoint but also filling specific needs in the squad.
Sancho, Havertz, Mbappe and others have been linked and are indeed admired, but it doesn’t make them automatic targets if the absolute need for them doesn’t exist.
With none of the front three expected to leave this summer at present, any big additions may simply wait.
Summer plans, in fact, may instead centre around sorting new contract extensions for key duo Alisson and Virgil van Dijk.
Big-money duo start rumours themselves
Sometimes headlines write themselves, don’t they?
Timo Werner has ensured that’s the case this weekend, talking about his potential summer move and all-but-name-checking Liverpool as a destination to be considered.
“Of course there is interest, that’s clear. But I’m not thinking about that now,” he says, before adding…that is exactly what he’d do if the Reds come calling.
“What do you say if a club comes knocking in the next two weeks, a club which is one of the favourites to win the Champions League and makes an incredible offer? Most likely every player would think about it.”
Whether or not he’s still on the agenda remains to be seen, and it’s even less of a sure thing with Boubakary Soumare – yet the midfielder has pinned his hopes on an Anfield switch.
LeFoot10 report that he rejected Newcastle in the January window as he still hopes that one of Europe’s biggest will want him in summer, with the 20-year-old Lille midfielder the subject of a £40m bid from St. James’ Park.
Success attracts talent – now we leave Edwards and the gang to sort out which will actually improve us the most.
Youngsters take centre stage
The Reds’ talented kids will play Tuesday night against Shrewsbury and it’s a huge chance for the likes of Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott to show they’re ready for more senior action.
- Jurgen Klopp‘s processes and demands on the first team are having a huge effect on the youngsters at the club
- Neil Critchley‘s press conference saw him explain where the team must fare better compared to against Aston Villa in December
- And the club’s on-loan starlets had a mixed weekend, with the highlights coming for Rhian Brewster and Nat Phillips
Quickfire LFC news
- Klopp has paid tribute to the unique talents of Bobby Firmino (Independent)
- Promising Norwich right-back Max Aarons has held up Trent and Robbo as the standard-bearers to aim for (Goal)
- Yasser Larouci faces a late fitness test to see whether he makes the FA Cup game against Shrewsbury (LFC)
- And Jose Mourinho says he’s felt for a while that Liverpool would end the season as champions (Echo)
Around the Prem
- Glenn Murray has signed a one-year contract extension at Brighton after they were inspired by Man United‘s version of a youth drive (BBC)
- Tammy Abraham is gutted Chelsea didn’t sign Edinson Cavani, presumably so Frank Lampard would stop blaming him for the team not scoring (Mirror)
- Lampard is also ready to bin off the world’s most expensive keeper Kepa, who we love because he makes Ali look more of a bargain every week (Express)
- And Hodgson says Palace failed in January and need to decide on a new strategy moving forward. Imagine his surprise when they decide a few months from now that it’ll be “without you, Roy…” (Telegraph)
Stupid strategic approaches of the day
January is done so no more rumours – but we can look back on the farcical approaches teams took.
Miguel Delaney has detailed in the Independent of the bizarre spending sprees of some teams, including Chelsea choosing to spend millions on legal fees to be able to buy players in January, only to sign nobody at all, and with Man United playing hardball over an extra £10m to get the Bruno Fernandes deal done earlier, only for them to lash out half that amount in desperation for the pleasure of Odion Ighalo for a single half-season.
Tweet of the day
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? 137 games
?? 89 goals
?? 38 assists #UCL pic.twitter.com/llWZEwiB6p— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 3, 2020
What we’re reading
Johnny Liew gives his take on how Jose Mourinho overcame Pep Guardiola this time, in the Guardian, and FC Business have detailed how Everton’s new stadium is vital for the regeneration of North Liverpool.
Worth watching tonight
Serie A, Sampdoria vs. Napoli, 7:45pm on Premier Sports 1.
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