The January transfer window has been open for two weeks, but Liverpool have yet to make their first move to strengthen their squad for the second half of the season. However, there is no urgent need for the Reds to enter the market, as they are performing exceptionally well in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
Following their 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Tuesday, Liverpool sit six points clear of Forest and seven points ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League table. In the Champions League, the Reds have maintained a perfect record with six wins from six matches in the league phase. This stellar performance ensures they are on track to skip the play-off round and head straight into the knockout stages.
Liverpool’s strong position allows them the luxury of waiting for the right opportunities in the transfer market rather than rushing into unnecessary deals.
That said, it’s well known that manager Arne Slot is keen to bring in a defensive midfielder. After missing out on Martin Zubimendi during the summer transfer window, this remains a priority for the club.
Liverpool set to miss out on Martin Zubimendi
Liverpool’s interest in signing Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi ahead of the 2024/25 season was well-documented, but the club ultimately fell short in their efforts to bring him to Anfield.
According to a summer report by Sky Sports, the Spain international appeared poised to join the Premier League side in a £51 million deal—matching his release clause—with Liverpool eager to secure his services from the LaLiga club.
The outlet added, though, that Zubimendi then turned Liverpool down after Real Sociedad offered him a new contract with bigger wages to keep him at the club.
It will not be second time lucky for the Reds, either, as it has recently been reported that their Premier League rivals Arsenal are on the verge of a £51m deal to sign him at the end of this season.
| 24/25 LaLiga | Martin Zubimendi |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 18 |
| Pass accuracy | 85% |
| Ground duel success rate | 60% |
| Aerial duel success rate | 73% |
| Tackles + interceptions per game | 3.9 |
| Stats via Sofascore | |
As you can see in the table above, Zubimendi has played regularly in the Spanish top-flight this season and showcased his defensive quality in the number six position.
The 25-year-old star is a dominant defensive midfielder who does not allow opponents to get the better of him on the floor or in the air very often, which suggests that he provides a strong presence out of possession at the base of the midfield.
Liverpool look set to have to come up against him when they face Arsenal next season, but the Reds could forget all about Zubimendi by landing one of their other reported targets in that position – Aurelien Tchouameni.
Liverpool’s interest in Aurelien Tchouameni
Football Insider reported earlier this month that Liverpool are one of the clubs eyeing up a potential swoop to sign the France international from Real Madrid.
The outlet 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 materialise 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 pursue a deal for the defensive midfielder.
It also revealed that both the Cityzens and Liverpool believe that they could tempt Tchouameni to make the move to England in the summer, ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
This means that the Reds could need to convince the France international to join them ahead of a move to The Etihad to play for Manchester City in order to win the race for his services, whilst it remains to be seen how much Real Madrid would demand for the player they signed from Monaco for £85.3m in the summer of 2022.
Why Liverpool should sign Aurelien Tchouameni
Liverpool should push to secure a deal for the 24-year-old midfield destroyer because 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” by analyst Raj Chohan, has proven himself to be an excellent performer at the base of the midfield for a huge European side in recent seasons.
