Liverpool have been told they have a problem despite getting back to winning ways in the Premier League
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.
Public worry about Mohamed Salah has emerged(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
View 3 Images
Liverpool will complete the remainder of the season without a new defensive reinforcement, despite securing one. The Reds agreed a £55million deal, with a potential £5m in add-ons, to bring in Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet.
However, the 20-year-old won't officially join the club until the summer, leaving Arne Slot's squad short at the back due to injuries to Conor Bradley, Jeremie Frimpong and Joe Gomez. Despite the defensive shortages, Liverpool produced some of their finest football of the campaign when thrashing Newcastle United 4-1 last Saturday to halt their five-match winless run in the Premier League.
As is typical in football, transfer speculation doesn't simply cease once the window shuts, with the Reds continuing to be linked with Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Micky van de Ven.
Before a crucial home fixture against Manchester City on Sunday, we examine the biggest stories emerging from Anfield, including public concerns about one of the club's most vital players.
Micky van de Ven rumours
The January transfer window may have closed, but that hasn't halted speculation of Van de Ven moving to Anfield. Uncertainty surrounds Ibrahima Konate's contract situation, the injury history of Joe Gomez and teenage prospect Giovanni Leoni, who is currently out following ACL surgery.
The uncertain composition of Slot's defensive line has prompted former Netherlands international Eljero Elia to endorse Van de Ven's potential move from Spurs to Liverpool.
He said: "I think van de Ven has to finish the season at Tottenham (by playing) consistently and show everybody he can go to the next level. He's strong and has good posture. He can score, he can dribble, and he can defend.
Micky van de Ven celebrating
Micky van de Ven has been told joining Liverpool is the natural progression for his career(Image: Getty Images)
View 3 Images
"If he continues like this, I think after the World Cup, he can make a good step to the bigger clubs. Not that Tottenham isn't a big club, but clubs that are a step above, like Real Madrid and Liverpool. I think it fits his career to move from Tottenham to the big teams."
Mohamed Salah concern
It's been a frustrating campaign for the Egyptian, who has managed just six goals and six assists in 24 appearances across all competitions. While he hasn't resembled the player who drove the Reds to the Premier League crown last year, he did provide an assist for Florian Wirtz in their commanding victory over Newcastle.
Nevertheless, it wasn't sufficient to ease the worries of former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol, who admitted his concern that Salah was unable to capitalise on a counter-attack that saw him subdued by Kieran Trippier, 35.
The 33-year-old also endured considerable difficulty in his one-on-one duels with Lewis Hall, as Nicol voiced his astonishment at how rapidly Salah has regressed following arguably the finest individual season in Premier League history.
Mohamed Salah dejected
It's been a frustrating season for Mohamed Salah(Image: Getty Images)
View 3 Images
The Scotsman commented on ESPN FC: "We've all been asking the same question. How can you go from there to there just so quickly? Generally, it takes a bit of time when you start losing a bit of pace and your balance. Newcastle's right-back Trippier doesn't play every week because his legs have gone. Trippier is on the other side of his career.
"A ball was played through from Szoboszlai, it could have been played a little firmer, but Trippier caught him comfortably and Salah, during that little passage, at no stage looked comfortable on the ball. He's got a guy whose legs we do know have gone catching him, having been given a three-yard start.
"That's got to be alarm bells. When he was making mistakes previously and still scoring important goals, he knew... he has always been the same." Nicol suggested that Salah's awareness of his declining pace has impacted his confidence in front of goal.
Content Image
Content Image
He continued: "When he used to give the ball away, it didn't affect his confidence because he knew he could still pick the top corners out, he could still run past people and score goals and make these assists.
"But now, there is nothing worse for a footballer when you realise you're losing things and not sure why, but it affects everything you do. Now it's chipping away at his confidence. That confidence looks like it's shot because any time he gets in a position where he used to pick the top corner out, he can't get anywhere close anymore."