Liverpool have suffered something of a New Year hangover after such an incredible start to the season under Arne Slot, with a Premier League draw against Manchester United preceding a miserable 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup semi-final.
Of course, Spurs still need to come to Anfield in the return fixture at the start of February, but there’s little question about Liverpool looking leggy and jaded at the moment.
Luckily, the Reds have been drawn against Accrington Stanley in this weekend’s round of FA Cup clashes, a stark difference from the trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal during last year’s third-round tie.
Liverpool have taken pole position in the English top flight and Champions League tables, with sights firmly fixed on lifting silverware come May, but after an uninspiring summer transfer window, it might be wise to show some ambition this winter.
Liverpool looking at statement January signing
As per numerous sources including The Times’ unerring Paul Joyce, Liverpool are monitoring Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and could act this month if the player makes himself available. Napoli would be looking to collect €80m (roughly £68m) for the Georgia superstar.
Well, Paris Saint-Germain are currently in the driving seat, looking to complete the signing, so Liverpool would need to act swiftly and incisively, but stranger things have happened.
Drawing on conjecture, this budding saga reflects Liverpool’s £49m signing of Luis Diaz in January 2022, with the Porto star a summer target brought forward following Spurs’ efforts to complete a deal.
The same happened one year on with Cody Gakpo when Manchester United geared up to make their move. Regarding Kvaratskhelia, 23, Liverpool likely view one or both of Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa as expendable and would need to shift some pieces to make this work.
The thing to remember here is that Liverpool are invariably cool in the market, though they are also opportunistic and will pounce if the right opening reveals itself. In this vein, ‘Kvaradona’ isn’t the only ace who may be heading to Merseyside.
Liverpool looking at Premier League talent
According to The i Paper, Liverpool are in the running for Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez despite claims that FSG have cooled their interest amid competition from Manchester United.
Admittedly, a January deal for Bournemouth’s left-back would be more difficult to achieve, though Andoni Iraola has welcomed left-back Julio Soler, an ostensible replacement, from Argentinian club Lanus for an £11.5m fee this month.
With Andy Robertson on the decline, Liverpool need to sign a left-back this year and the 21-year-old Kerkez would be the perfect player to complete a devastating left flank.
What Milos Kerkez would bring to Liverpool
If Liverpool were to complete deals for Kvaratskhelia and Kerkez this year, Slot would have quite the left-hand side to work with. The Napoli man’s directness and trickery call for a more mobile partner behind him, making overlaps and creating chaos for opponents.
No doubt, Kerkez has plenty to work on, but after 20 Premier League appearances, four goal contributions and five clean sheets this term, he’s tending a seed of immense promise.
Talent scout Antonio Mango has hailed Kerkez as “one of the best young left-backs in football” after his meteoric rise on the South Coast, but if you want the opinion of a more prominent figure, see the effusions of Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher below.
His athleticism and precision crossing makes for the perfect mobile full-back, and though there’s something to be desired defensively, Kerkez has done more than enough in this early stage of his career to suggest that he could be a top-level player down the line.
When placing his metrics against those of Robertson, the pressing need for something new is only accentuated, for the Scotland captain is showing signs of wear and tear and a slipped focus after such a long and instrumental and exhausting career under Jurgen Klopp.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It would be a kindness for Liverpool to welcome younger blood into the fold, allowing Robertson to take a breather and shoulder less of a burden. It also works both ways, with Kerkez only young and perhaps benefitting from one of the game’s elite modern left-backs to guide him toward stardom.
Matches (starts)
20 (20)
18 (17)
Goals
1
0
Assists
3
0
Touches*
54.6
68.2
Pass completion
82%
89%
Key passes*
1.2
1.3
Ball recoveries*
4.5
3.9
Dribble (success)*
0.5 (53%)
0.1 (33%)
Tackles + interceptions*
2.6
2.0
Ground duels (won)*
3.1 (59%)
1.7 (53%)
More energy and impetus would only push Liverpool’s project forward, and that’s without even digging into the connection that could be forged between Kerkez and Kvaratskhelia.
Kvaratskhelia has been described as a “really difficult” forward to keep at bay by Klopp following one Reds victory over Napoli in the Champions League.
FBref records that Diaz is one of Kvaratskhelia’s most statistically similar players, with both technical and confident in their passing while also being deadly ball carriers. The Georgian ranks among the top 1% of positional peers across the past year for shots taken, the top 9% for progressive carries and the top 17% for shot-creating actions per 90.
While Klopp left a talented group of players for Slot to work with, it’s pretty patent that unless opportunities are taken in the market this year, Liverpool will suffer from stagnancy and allow their rivals to close the gap.
It would be quite something if both of these talents were signed, but then Anfield is a hothouse for development toward the elite stage, and now the club must show the ambition that their title-chasing squad deserve.
PL club want him: Liverpool face their own Palmer disaster with "magic" ace
This Liverpool player has been linked with an exit and it would be a disaster for Slot’s project.
ByAngus Sinclair Jan 10, 2025
