Christmas is just around the corner but before then Jurgen Klopp laughed off the prospect of a Jude Bellingham signing in January and confirmed absentees, and returnees for Monday’s match.
Jude in January, trigger the giggle
It’s no secret that Bellingham is at the top of Liverpool’s wishlist, although they won’t be alone in that respect, but a move in January is unlikely, to say the least.
Borussia Dortmund would have a lot to say about it, first of all, and while Klopp knows he’s not quite the right person to ask, and he had an immediate reaction at the possibility of a winter deal.
It came during his pre-match press conference ahead of the Boxing Day trip to Aston Villa.
“In January [a deal]?” he said with a bit of disbelief and another laugh.
Pressed on whether it’s only a deal that can be completed in the summer, Klopp said: “From the buying side or the selling side? I have no idea. I’m the wrong person to ask.
“I don’t know, you have to ask other people about that.”
He swiftly moved on after that, saying the club are “always prepared” to act in the market but whether “something happens [in the winter], we’ll see.”
A January move for Bellingham has never really been on the cards and the German club are currently on their winter break anways, but Liverpool will no doubt continue to put in the ground work for an eventual deal.
As for other targets, Liverpool have been linked to plenty – now it’s a case of if they act at the first opportunity.
From City to Villa…
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was due to start at City but a bout of illness denied him the chance, Firmino was too until injury struck. Liverpool’s typical luck.
- The exit from the Carabao Cup could have opened up a time to rearrange the Chelsea match after it was postponed due to the Queen’s funeral.
- James Milner and Roberto Firmino are “out for a couple of games” but Klopp is expecting to see Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold make their return at Villa.
- And Villa will be without their World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez on Boxing Day after he was handed an extended break – Robin Olsen is likely to start in his place.
Investment, offers & January window
- According to Portuguese news outlet Record, Benfica have turned down a £88 million (€100m) offer for Enzo Fernandez from an unnamed club – you think it could’ve been the Reds?
- The Reds would “still like to keep” Naby Keita but he still has plenty to prove to the club before his contract expires in the summer.
- Jamie Carragher feels “there’s no doubt Klopp has said to Liverpool’s owners ‘I need £250 million to spend in the summer'” – Bellingham alone would take a sizeable chunk of that!
- Klopp was left “surprised” by Julian Ward’s resignation after only months after taking over from Michael Edwards as the club’s sporting director.
Unacceptable behaviour
- Liverpool and Man City released a joint statement after Thursday’s match following more unsavoury scenes from fans, all incidents are to be “fully investigated and reported to the police.”
- As a result of fans storming the pitch during a Melbourne Victory game in Australia, the club have now been banned from selling home tickets until January 15 and no fans will be allowed at away games.
- FIFA have taken their sweet time, but Salt Bae’s presence on the pitch after Argentina won the World Cup is to be investigated. Can’t believe he had the audacity to take the trophy off players…
Interesting Tweet of the day & match of the night
The pass map from the game at City really does show how much we’re missing Diaz and Jota…
Liverpool came back from the World Cup producing one of the weirdest passmaps of the Klopp era. #LFC pic.twitter.com/1kmdAI5F8s
— Between The Posts (@BetweenThePosts) December 23, 2022
It’s Christmas Eve Eve and you can procrastinate all your festive responsibilities with some Scottish football, it’s Ross County vs. Rangers at 7.30pm – on Sky Sports for those of you in the UK.
Enjoy your evening Reds and have a very Merry Christmas!
Fan Comments