A closer look at Curtis Jones's situation after the Liverpool midfielder registered his 200th appearance for his boyhood club on Saturday

A closer look at Curtis Jones's situation after the Liverpool midfielder registered his 200th appearance for his boyhood club on Saturday

Former Liverpool defender Markus Babbel brands Mohamed Salah "egotistical" and names the dream replacement - if the Egyptian is to leave in the January transfer window

Former Liverpool defender Markus Babbel brands Mohamed Salah "egotistical" and names the dream replacement - if the Egyptian is to leave in the January transfer window

A round-up of the biggest headlines surrounding Liverpool amid Mo Salah's uncertain Anfield future

A round-up of the biggest headlines surrounding Liverpool amid Mo Salah's uncertain Anfield future

Dominik Szoboszlai was forced off with an ankle injury in Liverpool's win over Brighton but once again managed to avoid a suspension

Dominik Szoboszlai was forced off with an ankle injury in Liverpool's win over Brighton but once again managed to avoid a suspension

Virgil van Dijk speaks out on Ibrahima Konate and Hugo Ekitike's recent form and how Arne Slot is managing a challenging season with Liverpool

A spurious transfer report published in the Italian press claims that Liverpool could allow Ibrahima Konate to leave during the January transfer window for just $17.5 million.

The claim published by L'Interista says that Liverpool would be willing to let Konate leave for a cut-price fee in order to avoid losing him for nothing at the end of the season.

Considering Liverpool only currently has two fit center-backs, there is no chance that the Reds would allow one of them to leave next month.

Joe Gomez has struggled with persistent fitness issues for the last year, while Giovanni Leoni may not play again for the remainder of the season after suffering a serious knee injury in September.

Even if Liverpool had managed to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace during the summer transfer window, the Reds would still have been unlikely to sanction a January exit for Konate.

Coincidentally, the report says that Inter Milan is interested in signing either Konate or Guehi in January – but a deal to sign the Crystal Palace captain seems equally unlikely.

Meanwhile, Football Insider reports that Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes is keen to sign at least two new center-backs in 2026.

Unsurprisingly, Guehi is said to be one of the targets after the Reds missed out on signing him on transfer deadline day.

Crystal Palace center-back Marc Guehi (Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool fans will remember that the Reds agreed a fee with Palace for the England star on September 1, only for Palace to U-turn on that deal over concerns about a lack of depth in the Eagles' defense.

That left the Reds a defender short of where they wanted to be heading into the new season, and Leoni's major injury, coupled with Gomez's problems, has hugely exacerbated the situation — were Konate or Virgil van Dijk to suffer a serious injury now, Liverpool would be in big trouble at the back.

The other player that Liverpool is supposedly interested in is Jeremy Jacquet, a 20-year-old center-back who currently plays for Ligue 1 side Rennes.

France has produced some of the most hyped young defenders in the world in recent years, with William Saliba, Leny Yoro, and Wesley Fofana among the current Premier League center-backs who started their careers in France, and the hope is that Jacquet could be the next big French defender.

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Virgil van Dijk speaks out on Ibrahima Konate and Hugo Ekitike's recent form and how Arne Slot is managing a challenging season with Liverpool

Liverpool's star player Mohamed Salah is facing an uncertain future at Anfield following his explosive interview at Elland Road just over a week ago.

The Egyptian ace, who has been benched for the Reds' last four Premier League matches, suggested after last weekend's draw that he has no relationship with head coach Arne Slot and didn't dismiss a potential January transfer. Consequently, he was absent from the squad that faced Inter Milan midweek, where the Reds secured a slim 1-0 victory at the San Siro.

However, things seem to have improved in recent days after crucial discussions on Friday. Salah was named in the squad that defeated Brighton on Saturday afternoon, coming on as an early replacement for the injured Joe Gomez and setting up Hugo Ekitike's vital second goal in the 2-0 win.

While there seems to be a temporary truce before the 33-year=old heads off to Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations, it remains unclear whether Salah's long-term future lies in Merseyside. Both Slot and Salah's teammates have downplayed rumours of an impending departure next month, suggesting they don't believe Saturday's victory will be Salah's final appearance for the club.

However, until the January transfer window slams shut or a move is definitively ruled out, speculation surrounding Salah's future will naturally continue. The current unrest at Anfield has opened the door for clubs in Saudi Arabia and the United States to explore the possibility of a move, whether that's in the upcoming transfer window or next summer.

It is believed that Liverpool has no plans to let Salah go in January. While the player seems content on Merseyside, a move to Saudi Arabia hasn't been entirely dismissed.

This gives clubs in the region confidence in their chances of securing Salah, assuming he's ready to part ways with Anfield, with an expected asking price around the £100 million ($133M) mark, with Liverpool then on the lookout for a replacement.

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool reacts (Image: Getty) Antoine Semenyo

Bournemouth's standout player Antoine Semenyo is a name likely to feature prominently in discussions as the January window looms. Rumors of a £65 million ($87M) release clause, valid until January 10, suggest a departure from the Vitality Stadium is on the cards, with several clubs reportedly showing interest.

Even before Salah's recent outburst, Liverpool has been frequently mentioned as a possible landing spot for the Ghanaian international. A fresh report suggests that Manchester City and Tottenham are also in the running for his signature.

Michael Olise

Ex-Crystal Palace star Michael Olise has been on an upward trajectory since joining Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024. His performances have not gone unnoticed by Europe's top clubs, including Liverpool.

Rumors linking the Reds with the 24 year old have persisted, despite little indication that he will be leaving Munich anytime soon. Olise, who typically plays in Salah's position, has netted 29 goals and provided 37 assists in 78 appearances across all competitions for Bayern, so it's no surprise he's seen as a potential long-term replacement.

However, securing a deal won't be easy, with German reports suggesting that Bayern are ready to offer Olise a new contract to ward off interest, even though he's already contracted until 2029.

Michael Olise has been in fine form this season for Bayern Munich (Image: Getty Images) Yan Diomande

RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande has been turning heads recently due to his exceptional form in the Bundesliga. The 19 year old only made the move to Germany last summer, but he's already netted seven goals and provided four assists across all competitions.

Though primarily a left winger, he's shown his versatility by also playing on the right, with all of his goal contributions for Leipzig coming from that side. A recent report from Sky in Germany suggests that all of England's top clubs, including Liverpool, are keeping a close eye on the Ivory Coast international.

Bradley Barcola

Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola was loosely linked with a move to Merseyside last summer, and the 23 year old remains firmly on Liverpool's radar. A recent report has reignited these rumours, suggesting the Frenchman could be a potential replacement for Salah.

The report highlights Barcola's struggle to secure a regular starting spot under Luis Enrique, with players like Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia vying for positions. However, it's been suggested that PSG are keen to secure Barcola on a new contract, as his current deal is set to expire in 2028.

Yankuba Minteh of Brighton & Hove Albion (Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images) Yankuba Minteh

Lastly, Brighton's Yankuba Minteh has caught the attention of several top-tier clubs. The Gambia international made the move to the Seagulls from Newcastle in the summer of 2024, with the Magpies needing to shed players to stay within Profit and Sustainability regulations.

Newcastle may now be ruing this decision, as Minteh has netted eight goals and provided nine assists in his 54 appearances to date. Four of these assists have come this season in the Premier League, as the 21 year old aims to elevate his game.

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Arne Slot will have to make a number of changes to his squad when Liverpool travel to Tottenham Hotspur next weekend

Arne Slot will have to make a number of changes to his squad when Liverpool travel to Tottenham Hotspur next weekend

Jamie Carragher believes that Morgan Rogers is the likeliest player in the Aston Villa squad to inspire the Midlanders to an unlikely Premier League title this term.

Rogers scored a brace for the second time in five Premier League games on Sunday as Villa came from behind to beat West Ham at the London Stadium.

The in-demand 23-year-old's second goal – which was Villa's winner in the 3-2 success – was particularly special, as he found the net with a brilliant dipping effort from distance.

Carragher was full of praise for the England international as he assessed his performance on Sky Sports. "Morgan Rogers is something special," he said. "He's been one of those players that has sort of come from nowhere.

"They signed him from Middlesbrough for not a huge fee and he's gone on right now to not just being one of the best young players in the Premier League, which is what he was last season, but he's now looking like one of the best players in the Premier League.

"That could be key if Aston Villa do feel that they could go on and contest the league title or go on and win it."

Villa has collected 30 points from the last 33 available in the Premier League – with the three dropped coming when Unai Emery's side was beaten 2-0 by Liverpool at the beginning of November.

Despite the Villans' remarkable form, Carragher does not expect them to win the league – but thinks that if they do, Rogers will be key.

Rogers scored twice for Aston Villa against West Ham (Image: MI News/NurPhoto)

"Can Villa win the title? I don't think they can, but if you are to win a title, and let's say Man City go on to win a title, they have Erling Haaland, who is the best player in the league," Carragher said.

"If I look at Arsenal right now, I think of Declan Rice. If they go on and win the league I see Rice as a player of the year candidate.

"But with Aston Villa, who could drive them to the title? Who is that special that they could be head and shoulders above everyone in the league?

"The one player I look at is Rogers. PFA young player of the year before, could he now go on and be PFA player of the year this season and drag Villa really close to a league title."

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In the second part of the ECHO's interview with Emile Heskey, the former footballer reflects on Gerard Houllier's treble winning team and gives his verdict on Arne Slot's side

In the second part of the ECHO's interview with Emile Heskey, the former footballer reflects on Gerard Houllier's treble winning team and gives his verdict on Arne Slot's side

With the January transfer window approaching, Liverpool’s clear priority in the mid-season market has been hammered home by another injury to versatile defender Joe Gomez.

Gomez signalled to the bench just over 20 minutes into the 2-0 victory over Brighton at Anfield and was forced off with a hamstring injury.

The 28-year-old will undergo a scan to determine the severity of the issue, and while as yet unknown it is clearly not positive news for Arne Slot.

This ends Gomez’s longest run in the side – four starts, one substitute appearance – since December 2024 and comes with a mounting list of absentees for Liverpool.

And joining youngster Giovanni Leoni on the sidelines, any extended spell out for Gomez should highlight the need to sign a centre-back in January.

Liverpool’s centre-back options – and who Slot trusts

Slot has, after all, already accepted that his only remaining centre-backs have played too much football for this stage in a season.

“Sometimes players need rest as well, so look at Dominik, Virgil, Ibou, Ryan. They’ve played so many minutes because other ones weren’t available,” he told reporters before the visit of Brighton.

“So it’s good for them we go now to a run of games where there’s one week rest in between.”

Virgil van Dijk has played every minute of every game so far in the Premier League and Champions League, with Ibrahima Konate clocking the third-highest total of minutes throughout the squad (1,942).

Slot considers Ryan Gravenberch among his emergency options in the position, but not only is the Dutchman already first-choice No. 6 but he too has clocked 1,654 minutes so far – the fourth-most for Liverpool.

Wataru Endo is another of those viewed as a makeshift backup but is himself sidelined for a number of weeks with an ankle injury, while Andy Robertson continues to be rotated with Milos Kerkez at left-back.

Then consider the head coach’s admission that he is “almost happy that we’re out of the League Cup.”

It is clear that neither Amara Nallo or Wellity Lucky (pictured above), 19-year-olds who came off the bench in that 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace in the fourth round, are seen as viable deputies yet.

Is it really outrageous to suggest that Liverpool could be a Konate setback away from seeing Dominik Szoboszlai fill in alongside Van Dijk?

Who Liverpool could sign at centre-back: Guehi & 6 more

Therefore with just over a fortnight until the transfer window reopens it makes sense for Richard Hughes and his recruitment team to be weighing up the possibilities in the market.

An obvious solution would be to revisit the deal for Marc Guehi, who was a medical away from securing a £35 million move to Anfield on deadline day in September only for Crystal Palace to dramatically pull out at the last hour.

Guehi has restored his focus admirably, captaining Palace during an impressive first half of the season, but has already made clear his intention to leave when his contract expires.

Knowing that they will lose Guehi at the end of the season presents a conundrum for those at Selhurst Park: accept a reasonable fee mid-season or allow the 25-year-old to leave on a free in the summer.

Much would depend on their ability to source a replacement and clearly there is no guarantee.

Liverpool have been credited with an interest in a number of others, including Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande and Zeno Debast, Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez and Wolfsburg’s Konstantinos Koulierakis.

All fit the basic profile: aged 22, 22, 21 and 22 respectively, with vast experience already at a high level including, for Diomande, Debast and Ordonez, in the Champions League and all regular starters for their countries.

Another to be heavily linked with a move to the Premier League champions is Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck, while Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni is of confirmed interest.

It is however unlikely either would fall into the ‘market opportunity’ bracket when it comes to a January transfer, with mid-season moves often complicated.

Liverpool’s stance on January signings

Liverpool will avoid any snap decisions when it comes to signings, particularly as the circumstances aren’t as dire as those that prompted the arrivals of Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak in 2021.

But if the right deal presents itself, they can hardly afford to ignore it, as even with Slot’s first-choice partnership currently fit it is a situation which is precariously balanced.

With Konate yet to commit to an extension to a deal which expires on July 1 and Gomez joining Leoni and Endo on the injury list, a centre-back signing must be a priority for January.

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It is six months since Trent Alexander-Arnold, who made his Premier League debut for Liverpool on this day in 2016, left for Real Madrid

It is six months since Trent Alexander-Arnold, who made his Premier League debut for Liverpool on this day in 2016, left for Real Madrid