The January transfer window has been open for business for two weeks now, and Liverpool they are yet to make their first move to strengthen their squad ahead of the second half of the season.
However, there is no immediate rush or need for the Reds to enter the market, as they are in a great spot in both Premier League and the Champions League.
After a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Tuesday night, Liverpool are six points clear Tricky Trees and seven points more than Arsenal in the league table.
The Reds are top of the Champions League with six wins from six games in the league stage, meaning they are on course to bypass the play-off round and go straight into the knockout stages.
It shows that Liverpool are in a good position and don’t need to rush into deals that don’t make sense for them in the current transfer window.
However, it is not a secret that Arne Slott would like to add a defensive midfielder to his team at some point, after failing to sign Martin Zubimendi this summer.
Liverpool will miss Martin Zubimendi
It was well documented that Liverpool were interested in a deal to sign the Real Sociedad star ahead of the 2024/25 season, but they ultimately failed to convince him to move to Anfield.
Sky Sports reported in the summer when the Spain international was set to complete a move to the Premier League in a deal worth £51m, the value of his release clause, with the Reds looking to poach him from LaLiga.
The media added that Zubimendi then rejected Liverpool after Real Sociedad offered him a new contract with a higher salary to keep him at the club.
It won’t be second time lucky for the Reds, as it was recently announced that their Premier League rivals Arsenal are on on the verge of a £51m deal sign him at the end of this season.
|
24/25 La Liga |
Martin Zubimendi |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
18 |
|
Adding accuracy |
85% |
|
Duel success rate on the ground |
60% |
|
Duel success rate in the air |
73% |
|
Tackles + interceptions per game |
3.9 |
As you can see in the table above, Zubimendi has played regularly in the Spanish first division this season and has shown his defensive quality in the number six position.
The 25-year-old star is a dominant defensive midfielder who doesn’t allow opponents to beat him often on the floor or in the air, suggesting he provides a strong out-of-possession presence at the base of the midfield. .
It looks like Liverpool will have to line up against him when they face Arsenal next season, but the Reds could forget about Zubimendi by lining up one of their other reported targets in the position – Aurelien Tchouameni.
Liverpool’s interest in Aurelien Tchouameni
Football Insider reported earlier this month that Liverpool is one of the clubs considering the potential signing of the French international from Real Madrid.
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The publication claimed that a move in the January transfer window is currently unlikely, as Carlo Ancelotti does not want to disrupt his squad, but that a move could be made in the summer.
Football Insider added that Premier League champions Manchester City are also interested in the French titan and that the board have given Pep Guardiola the funds needed to secure a deal for the defensive midfielder.
It has also been revealed that both the Cityzens and Liverpool believe they could entice Tchouameni to move to England in the summer, ahead of the 2025/26 season.
It means the Reds could convince the France international to join them ahead of a move to the Etihad and play for Manchester City in order to win the race for his services, while it remains to be seen how much Real Madrid would demand for the player they have signed Monaco for £85.3 million in the summer of 2022.
Why Liverpool should sign Aurelien Tchouameni
Liverpool should make an effort to secure a deal for the 24-year-old midfield destroyer as it would allow Slot to completely forget about missing out on a move for Zubimendi.
Tchouameni, who was once described as “one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet” according to analyst Raj Chohan, has proven to be an excellent player at the base of midfield for a major European team in recent seasons.
The defensive midfielder, who won, is dominant 71% of his duels in the Champions League last season when Real Madrid won the competition and the titan is also incredibly reliable in possession.
During the last 365 days, Tchouameni is among them top 2% of midfielders in the Men’s Big 5 League and European competitions for pass rate (91.6%), which illustrates how impressive his ball retention is – making him a good fit for a team looking to dominate matches and recycle possession effectively.
His performances in La Liga this season for Real Madrid, while being called upon at centre-back and defensive midfielder, also suggest he could offer more quality than Zubimendi.
|
24/25 La Liga |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
18 |
15 |
|
Tackles + interceptions per game |
3.9 |
3.3 |
|
Adding accuracy |
85% |
93% |
|
Duel success rate |
64% |
64% |
|
The error led to a shot/goal |
2 |
0 |
|
Statistics via Sofascore |
||
As you can see in the table above, Tchouameni is far more reliable with the ball at his feet, with greater passing accuracy and fewer possession-based errors, while being just as dominant in physical battles with opposing players.
At 24, he is also a year younger than the Spaniard and still has plenty of time to develop and improve under Sloto’s tutelage, making him an attractive long-term signing for Liverpool as well as a player who could make an immediate impact.
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Therefore, FSG must ensure that the Dutch coach has the funds available to beat Manchester City to the signature of Tchouameni if he becomes available in the summer.
