Liverpool are expected to bolster their squad in Januaryplaceholder image
Liverpool are expected to bolster their squad in January | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Liverpool are expected to be in the market for a central defender in January
Despite splashed out around £450m on new recruits over the summer, defending champions Liverpool currently find themselves well of the pace in this season’s title race.
The Reds are languishing in 10th position and have already lost more matches (six) in the opening 15 matches than they did in the entirety of last season (four). They’ve recently been on a run of nine defeat from 12 matches across all competitions are currently the subject of widespread attention due to a saga which is being played out like a civil war between club legend Mohamed Salah and manager Arne Slot.
There are a multitude of issues to sort at Liverpool heading into January. And while the bulk of the attention inevitably has to go towards their Egyptian talisman and how and if they need to replace him, it’s worth noting also that’s there an alarming issue right in the middle of Liverpool’s defence which continues to cost them valuable points.
Why Liverpool need to sign a central defender this January
Liverpool won the league last season with a settled partnership of club captain Virgil van Dijk and French international Ibrahima Konate. Both enjoyed stellar campaigns in front of Alisson in an incredible season which saw the club win the league at a canter while conceding just 41 times.
In European and cup matches Jarell Quansah would often provide solid cover while Joe Gomez also stepped in to do a solid defensive shift when needed. Trent Alexander-Arnold, although not necessarily praised for his defensive prowess, also featured regularly at right-back and provided a sense of creativity that few defenders of the Premier League era have ever provided. It worked wonders throughout the campaign, and thankfully for Liverpool, the rotation process was smooth with next to no long-term injuries throughout the campaign.
However, this season’s a different story. The once imperious Van Dijk is no longer playing with the same confidence that he showed last year and is gradually starting to show signs of decline in the twilight years of his career. Meanwhile, Konate, who has been heavily tipped to follow Trent out of Anfield on a free transfer, is playing within himself and making more mistakes than at any other stage of his Liverpool career.
Gomez, who is the only cover in his position after Quansah’s exit, often has to play right-back to fill in for summer signing Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley, who have both had a horrible time with injuries this term, leaving Liverpool no zero centre-back cover after failing to sign Marc Guehi on deadline day.
Liverpool could look to target Murillo in January
Throughout 2025, Liverpool have been linked with highly-rated Nottingham Forest defender Murillo as an alternative to Guehi. The Brazilian helped Forest secure a seventh placed finish against the odds last term while also reaching an FA Cup semi-final. He also won the club’s Player of the Season award a year earlier after helping them to a seventh place finish despite a points deduction.
Murillo cleared the ball off the line on three occasions - the most of any defender in the division. He also made second most blocks in the league and cleared the ball out of danger more times than any other player, showing an alertness to danger and a speed to halt oppositions attacks.
He stars in a team that mainly play a direct brand of football, but is comfortably carrying the ball out of his half with excellent dribbling ability and is also adept at striking the ball excellently from distance. He has the capabilities to compete with Konate for a starting spot if signed by the Reds, but the one challenge to overcome would be his reported £68m price tag.
However, there is one sweetener Liverpool could try and throw at Nottingham Forest to try and sweeten proceedings. Harvey Elliott, an Under-21 European Championship and Player of the Year winner with Lee Carsley’s young England team, is currently on loan at Aston Villa, but appears to be surplus to requirements at Villa Park.
There’s a growing possibility he could be recalled from Anfield due to a lack of game time in the West Midlands, which could potentially open the door to a permanent exit. Elliott’s likely to need game time to fulfil his full potential and is undoubtedly a player who could benefit from a change of scenery at the City Ground.
It’s worth also noting that, Forest, who are competing in Europe and currently struggling for goals due to Chris Wood’s injury, were mentioned as possible contenders to sign Elliott back in March before the 22-year-old’s move to Villa Park. Perhaps a good cause of action from a Liverpool perspective would to be offer a chunk of money for Murillo with Elliott going in the other direct as a sweetener. Of course, Aston Villa would need to agree to terminate his loan deal first though.
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