Just in case Liverpool fans weren’t already aware, there is another opportunity for Jurgen Klopp to strengthen his options in January, offering him the chance to strengthen various areas of the squad. There were notable departures in the summer, while a mixture of limited business and misfortune failed to sufficiently fill all the gaps, indicating there will be plenty of activity when the next transfer window opens.
In recent years transfer speculation has also fuelled odds for betting markets, as leading online bookies provide punters with the option to back potential deals. Those odds can also fluctuate one way or the other, based upon the latest gossip and rumours. Wagering on transfers has therefore become increasingly popular, reaching across the whole world, even featuring an assessment of the best football betting sites in India at Asiabet.
This highlights that comparing odds and offers is always worthwhile, wherever we might be located around the globe, before choosing where to place any bets. Liverpool certainly feature strongly in betting markets right now, ahead of the January window for signings and sales, although many of the top odds are for midfielders and attackers. Yet based upon both current and future needs for the team, strengthening defensive options is also high on the agenda.
Immediate focus on Portuguese talent
Although there is money to spend in the January transfer window, given that procuring ready-made talents for midfield and attack seems to be the priority, this would suggest
Liverpool will continue to look at more youthful defensive targets. Experienced centre- back duo Virgil van Dijk and Joël Matip will not be around for ever, therefore planning ahead for their eventual replacements is logical, accompanied by carefully scouting out potential options.
One move could already be in the pipeline in January for Antonio Silva. The 19-year-old has been a revelation since making his Benfica breakthrough, earning him a senior international debut with Portugal in November, before being named in their 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. At the time of writing, he has also made one appearance at the tournament.
Portuguese media outlets claim that following the World Cup, officials from Liverpool and Benfica will meet, aiming to thrash out the terms of a transfer deal for Silva. Having made 16 first team appearances during the 2022-23 season to date, the current Liga Portugal leaders are unlikely to let him go cheaply, apparently valuing the defender at around £45 million. However, the positive relationship between the two clubs could provide some leeway for negotiation.
Belgian prospect remains on the radar
Continuing the theme of youthful defensive talents, another 19-year-old features quite prominently on the Liverpool shortlist, having regularly scouted Zeno Debast in recent months. His emergence from the youth academy at Belgian side Anderlecht has been impressive, along with having demonstrated a level of maturity far beyond his tender age, since making his Jupiler Pro League debut with the first team last season.
Already considered to be a key component of the Anderlecht defensive unit, Debast has made 26 appearances in all competitions this term, along with debuting in the senior Belgium national team. This also earned the highly talented young centre-back a place in their 2022 FIFA World Cup squad, albeit without featuring in any games during their disappointing elimination in the group phase, despite solid performances before the tournament.
Liverpool will undoubtedly continue to monitor the progress of Debast, who could still become a potential option when the January transfer window opens, and he could be quite the bargain should the Reds decide to make their move. The powerful young centre-back is currently valued at around £7 million by Transfermarkt, although it seems likely that Anderlecht would look for a much larger fee, particularly for a player being hailed as ‘the next Vincent Kompany’ in Belgium.
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No quick fixes needed this time
Right now, Liverpool have sufficient defensive options to see out the 2022-23 campaign, save for the most crippling injury crisis, which is precisely where the Reds found themselves during the 2020-21 season. An unfortunate ACL injury kept Virgil van Dijk out of action for almost nine months, while Joël Matip was also crocked for the remainder of that campaign.
Those mishaps prompted Liverpool to make stopgap moves in the January 2021 window, signing Ben Davies from Preston North End and Ozan Kabal on loan from Schalke 04. This time around, Klopp arguably has more time and less of a pressing need, allowing him to track and target long-term additions to the team sufficiently.
