The transfer window might have only opened a week ago, but Liverpool continue to, inevitably, be linked with a plethora of players.
Such a fact is no surprise, it was always going to be a busy summer at Anfield with Alexis Mac Allister only the first new arrival through the door. At least one new midfielder, if not two, are expected to join the World Cup winner in joining the Reds, with Liverpool also in the market for a new, preferably left-sided, centre-back.
Throw in speculation regarding the futures of the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher and Kostas Tsimikas, and the Reds’ hand could be forced further by potential outgoings. And that’s without even considering the unlikely possibility of a new forward following Roberto Firmino’s exit, with Mohamed Salah poised to briefly depart mid-season for the Africa Cup of Nations once again.
Meanwhile, onlookers continue to urge Liverpool to sign a new right-back, with the furore for Trent Alexander-Arnold to make a full switch into midfield only getting louder and louder after his impressive displays in the engine-room for England during the international break. Beyond the right-back, after James Milner’s exit, centre-back Joe Gomez and teenager Conor Bradley are Jurgen Klopp’s only alternatives to his first-choice centre-back.
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As a result, supporters were understandably intrigued when the Reds were linked with Bayern Munich’s Benjamin Pavard earlier this month. However, Anfield sources would distance the club from such speculation with Liverpool’s current transfer stance being they are not interested in signing a new right-back this summer.
Yet that hasn’t prevented fresh speculation regarding another right-back, after the Reds were surprisingly linked with Man City’s Kyle Walker earlier this week. The Daily Mail would suggest that Liverpool had rumoured interest in the England international, while conceding a deal was unlikely and that the right-back, who was subject of £15m transfer discussions with Bayern Munich would prefer to stay at the Etihad.
If the Reds were interested in Walker, his presence would admittedly free up Alexander-Arnold to feature purely in midfield. Moreover, boasting experience of playing as a right-sided centre-back in a back three, including in Man City’s own inverted full-back system, he would be able step into Liverpool’s own variation of the hybrid system fairly seamlessly, with his pace offering the protection to cover for his international colleague when he steps forward into midfield.
But just because it adds up positionally on paper, doesn’t mean we’ll see Walker unveiled as a Liverpool player anytime soon.
Firstly, there is the Reds’ transfer stance regarding right-backs and left-sided centre-backs. With Ibrahima Konate and Gomez both offering the pace to cover that right-sided centre-back role in the inverted full-back system, and the latter still a back-up to Alexander-Arnold as a more traditional right-back, their reasoning behind not pursuing such a player this summer makes sense.
Not able to call upon the riches of Champions League football, and already unable to compete financially with the likes of Man City, Liverpool already have to choose their transfer battles carefully. Midfield is their current priority, with a left-sided centre-back, who would arguably be a long-term replacement for Virgil van Dijk, next on the list after that.
While you could make arguments for a new right-back or forward at Anfield, neither role is as pressing as things stand as the Reds weigh up which fires in their squad to immediately put out.
Beyond Liverpool’s stance, Walker doesn’t fit the profile of player they are looking to bring in. Struggling last year, the Reds were left with an ageing squad as they navigated a transitional season.
Now looking to address such a fact, they brought in a 24-year-old in Mac Allister who is only just entering his peak years. Beyond him, Liverpool are looking at the likes of Khephren Thuram, Ryan Gravenberch, and Gabri Veiga as their possible next midfield signing, with all their credited targets set to play in this summer's Under-21s European Championships.
The same can be said of left-sided centre-backs, with VfL Wolfsburg’s Micky van den Ven continuing to be linked with the Reds, while Chelsea’s Levi Colwill has admirers at Anfield. Both players are also competing in Romania and Georgia. With both defenders under the age of 22, Liverpool’s next defensive signing will be able to impact the first team now, while still looking ahead to the long-term future.
Klopp has signed 33 players since the start of his first full season at Anfield, with Ragnar Klavan, Alex Manninger, Adrian, and Andy Lonergan the only signings aged over 30 when they joined the club. AKA a £4.2m reserve centre-back and three back-up goalkeepers, two of which never kicked a ball competitively for the club.
As a result, it feels safe to discount the prospect of it being Walker considering he has just turned 33. The prospect of signing the England international, who will already be on hefty wages at the Etihad as he looks to negotiate a new deal, just doesn’t fit the bill.
Yet even if we ignore all that, overlooking Liverpool’s transfer stance and target profile, one key question remains. Will Man City really sell to the Reds? Jurgen Klopp doesn’t think so.
“I don’t know him on a personal basis, but I’ve always liked him as a player,” the German admitted when discussing Gabriel Jesus’ City exit last year.. “I know City wouldn’t have sold him to any club, but with Arsenal the distance was enough, geographically."
Arsenal might have emerged as City’s closest title-rivals last year, but that was not the case 12 months ago when Pep Guardiola sanctioned such exits to the Emirates. You would expect the reigning Premier League champions to be a little more selective this summer.
And while Liverpool were miles off the pace last year, having been City’s main title challenges for the majority of the past five years, and the only side to deny them Premier League glory since 2016/17, you can’t imagine they’ll be willing to do business with the Reds at the risk of strengthening their rivals and restoring them to title contender status.
Onlookers might feel Liverpool need to push Alexander-Arnold into midfield and sign a new right-back, but Klopp seemingly feels otherwise. In the short-term at least. And even if the Reds did perform something of a transfer U-turn, it would still be quite the surprise if they even made an offer for Walker this summer, never mind actually signed him.
