Liverpool are chasing a £50m “warrior” who would be Sloto’s own Gakpo signing
Good, Liverpoolleads on top Premier League is cut. It’s all doom and gloom (just kidding, it’s not). Arsenal may have won at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, but Liverpool were left with four points and a game in hand.
Arne SlottThe team have been brilliant this season and are title favourites, but it would be a mistake to think the Reds will run away and disappear before January is done and dusted.
It is remarkable that Liverpool found themselves in such a promising position after that Jurgen Klopp stepped down, and most assume that Anfield will fight for a place in the Champions League.
But Slott’s tactics and managerial expertise have fueled the Merseysiders to dominance on a number of fronts, and while Liverpool have won just three of their past seven top-flight meetings, calmer sailing is expected to return after a difficult winter.
Upcoming Liverpool matches (all matches) |
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---|---|---|
Date |
Competition |
Opponent |
17/01/25 |
Premier League |
Brentford (A) |
21/02/25 |
Champions League |
Lille (H) |
25.01.25 |
Premier League |
Ipswich (H) |
29/01/25 |
Champions League |
PSV (A) |
02.01.25 |
Premier League |
Bournemouth (A) |
Liverpool held on. They usually do. And anyway, the Redmen often raid the January transfer window to make one or two well-placed improvements, and that could happen in the coming weeks.
Liverpool and the January transfer window
Liverpool and the January transfer window, a match made in heaven. Let it be Virgil van Dijk or Takumi Minamino, FSG have always enjoyed making a wonderful winter signing to promote Liverpool’s cause.
Van Dijk is the gold standard and his £75m move from Southampton he could even be the Premier League’s biggest January signing, revolutionizing Jurgen Klopp’s backline and leading Liverpool to glory.
Years before, let’s not forget, Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge teamed up from different outfits in January 2013, with Luis Suarez completes a £23m transfer from Ajax two years ago.
Recently, however, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo enjoyed a mid-season move to Merseyside, having now gone from strength to strength under Sloto’s wing, an integral part of the Anfield set-up.
The Red Devils were left chewing on clouds of dirt as Liverpool welcomed Gakpo into the fold, and now FSG are looking to repeat the trick with one of the Premier League’s most underrated midfielders.
Liverpool are eyeing midfielder Prem
According to Football InsiderLiverpool and Manchester United scouts followed Wolverhampton Wanderers João Gomes in recent months and could make a deal this year.
Wolves are battling relegation but have improved under Vitor Pereira in recent weeks, and it would take a huge fee to convince the Old Gold to part his engine this month.
However, a deal could certainly be struck this summer, with previous reports suggesting the Anfielders would have to cough up something in a £50m park.
What Joao Gomes would bring to Liverpool
Gomes is a talented midfielder with an eye for possession. Wolves signed a contract with Flamengo for 15 million pounds in January 2023, so he has already gotten used to wintering.
71 performances laterGomes scored five goals and assisted three more for his English employers, living up to talent scout Jacek Kulig’s praise of being a “warrior” who “always gives 100% on the pitch.”
Gomes seasonal heat map from the English Premier League says it all: his boundless energy and enthusiasm in different aspects of the game in midfield, completing 85% of his passes, 62% of his dribbles and an average of 5.1 turnovers per game.
He may be a dynamic and versatile midfielder, but Gomes is a ball-winning monster at heart, ranking in the top 1% of position mates in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for tackles (4.05) per 90, according to FBrefpointing out that he would bring fighting energy to Liverpool’s rich engine room.
Premier League 24/25 – The best strikers |
||
---|---|---|
Rank |
Player |
Turns (90 each) |
1. |
Daniel Munoz |
71 (3.94) |
2. |
Moises Caicedo |
63 (3.06) |
3. |
Noussair Mazraoui |
62 (3.67) |
4. |
João Gomes |
61 (3.41) |
5. |
Idrissa Gueye |
58 (3.74) |
5= |
Alexis McAllister |
58 (3.70) |
Statistics via Premier League |
17. Wolves could be embroiled in a fight to stay in the Premier League, but Gomes was a machine in midfield, capable of playing deep and more forward.
His energy and expertise as a “box breaker”, as analyst Ben Mattinson called him up, could pay dividends for a Liverpool side that has enjoyed so much success with Ryan Gravenberch as a deep-lying playmaker.
Liverpool need to do this, especially given their rich history of bringing winter talent into the first team. With the aforementioned Gakpo on Man United’s radar, like Gomes, there is an even more pressing reason to secure his addition to the ranks.
Leaving PSV Eindhoven, Dutch sensation Gakpo was just 23 when he joined Liverpool, the same age as Gomes is now.
He was one of the key attacking pillars in Sloto’s system this season, scored 12 goals and recorded four assists over 30 appearances in all competitions.
The Dutch international has been hailed as “Liverpool’s man for the big occasion”. reporter Beth Lindopwhich is not blessed with the daring fertility of Mohamed Salah, but is necessary as a title challenge looms.
How Liverpool would love to strike another blow at Man United’s hearts, bolstering their midfield ranks with a player who would be perfect for Ruben Amorim’s system.
The Old Trafford side have endured plenty of market woes over the past decade, but Liverpool’s talent radar is usually unerring, so it would be a travesty to lose this player to their rivals, who are desperate for a revival.
It’s an open question whether Gomes is ready for the jump, but on the evidence of the tough conditions at Molineux, the Reds could score a blinder by adding the player.