3 MORE defenders targeted & Leipzig’s plan for CL clash – Liverpool FC Roundup

February 2, 2021
This Is Anfield

Congrats if you made it all the way through deadline day – the busiest we’ve had in years! Now it’s match build-up and, yes, even more rumours…

Leipzig apply to police to let Reds in

You may have seen this over the past couple of days – there’s currently a doubt about Liverpool’s Champions League last 16 first leg, as we face RB Leipzig away in that game and Germany are not letting visitors in without quarantine – including elite athletes.

That means the Reds would have to be there for a lot longer before the game than our fixture list allows for, leaving a conundrum about how to overcome the issue.

Germany’s travel ban currently goes until the day after we’re due to face Leipzig, so it might just be shifted back a day or two – but in the meantime the Bundesliga club have applied to the federal police to allow the Reds free travel, reports Frankfurter Allgemeine.

Plans have to be fixed up by 8 February, say UEFA, so we could have up to a week of back-and-forth red tape negotiation.

Neutral venues or even swapping the first and second legs around, to play at Anfield first, have also been suggested. Don’t do that!

Defender news and rumours continue

We signed two in Kabak and Davies. We missed out on one, Caleta-Car. This we already knew.

But reports around Europe today say the Reds actually moved for another two defenders, plus there’s a third we still want in the summer!

The summer one is most obvious and least fun, so let’s get that out the way: Bayern CEO K-H Rumenigge says the Reds, along with his own club and Chelsea, are all keen to sign Dayot Upamecano. The odds appear to be that we will still sign either him or his partner at Leipzig, Ibrahima Konate.

Elsewhere, Portuguese outlet O Jogo say the Reds approached Braga for a transfer for David Carmo, but the club felt they didn’t have long enough to consider the implications and so turned it down.

And finally, Sportsmediaset believe that Liverpool made a “monster” offer for Juventus centre-back Merih Demiral and were willing to go up to €57 million.

Juve’s answer was a firm no, and we ended up with Kabak.

All about the defenders

Oh no, we’re not done yet with chatting about central defenders, not at all. But here are the ones who do belong to Liverpool…

Neither Davies nor Kabak will start against Brighton says Jurgen Klopp. The duo need to settle in and learn the ropes, so won’t feature just yet. Unless we get another three injuries, obviously…
Forget seeing any of Matip, Gomez or Van Dijk this season, though. The boss says only a miracle will bring Virgil back before the end of the campaign
And Klopp has explained how Matip’s injury came about and the timeframe for his return…next season, of course

Quickfire LFC news

Ozan Kabak “didn’t think twice” when Liverpool came in for him, says his manager at Schalke (Kicker)

The Reds turned down a bid from Saints for Neco Williams yesterday (TIA)

But Minamino went, and Klopp says he didn’t give the forward enough chances to impress this season (TIA)

Finally, you can catch all of Klopp’s pre-Brighton press conference here (TIA)

Around the Prem

Graham Potter is looking forward to facing one of the greatest teams in recent times (TIA)

Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea all want Inter’s Achraf Hakimi in the summer. Gunners better find a different target then (Calcio)

Steve Bruce has told three players to be patient and work hard after loans away collapsed. What an incentive, when you can’t get into the crappest team in the league over the last few months (Chronicle)

And English football may soon have limitations in heading during training (Telegraph)

Stupid rumour of the day

When did rumours become about who teams didn’t want? United apparently didn’t bid for Edin Dzeko, which is somehow news, and neither did Man City for Diego Costa. So?!

Tweet of the day

Most goal involvements in the Premier League since Salah joined Liverpool in 2017:

Son – 75
Aguero – 75
Mane – 75
Sterling – 87
Vardy – 87
Kane – 96

Salah – 119

The man is an all-time Liverpool great, and one of the most devastating PL forwards ever.

— Henry Jackson (@HenryJackson87) February 2, 2021