Liverpool Transfer News Roundup: Reds to sign a defender in the summer, Kylian Mbappe rumours resurface, and more - 19th January 2021
Liverpool’s form in January has been worrying, and the Reds will hope to bounce back against Burnley in their next Premier League fixture. Let’s now take a look at the latest transfer news featuring Liverpool from January 19, 2021:
Liverpool to sign a defender in the summer
Despite long-term injures to Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, Liverpool have resisted spending money in the January transfer window. The Reds have been linked with several defenders, but are yet to sign a player.
Now, as per Times journalist Paul Joyce, Liverpool will sign a defender in the summer. Liverpool decided to let Dejan Lovren go last summer, and that has come back to bite them as they are currently short in the defensive department.
Manager Jürgen Klopp has played Fabinho in a centre-back role for a majority of the season, and the likes of Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips have been thrown into the first team picture every now and then.
It would not be a surprise if Liverpool decide to buy another centre-back in the summer to add more depth to their squad, even though van Dijk and Gomez are likely to return by then.
David Alaba’s father says a decision is yet to be made about the player’s future
Real Madrid, along with Liverpool, have been linked with a move for David Alaba, whose contract expires at the end of the season.
Earlier today, reports had claimed that Alaba had signed for Real Madrid on a pre-contract agreement after passing a medical. His father George Alaba, however, has explained that nothing has been decided yet, and there are other options for his son.
Christian Falk has added to the rumors by saying that even though Real Madrid are still the favorites to sign the Austrian, Liverpool remain interested.
Alaba decided that he will not stay at Bayern Munich after the two parties could not agree on a new deal for the player.
Mbappe rumors resurface once again
Liverpool have been linked with an unlikely move for Kylian Mbappe once again, as Sport (via Sport Witness) have claimed that the Reds will compete with Real Madrid for the French star.
Mbappe’s contract with PSG expires in the summer of 2022, which means he is likely to be in high demand this summer.
Real Madrid are reportedly trying to offload Eden Hazard in the summer to fund a move and create a wage structure to accommodate Mbappe.
Sport claim that Klopp is interested in strengthening his attack with Mbappe, but it remains to be seen how they will do that. The club may have to sell one of their famed front three to accommodate the 22-year-old.