Heading towards that time of year when practically anything could happen, the festive period is packed with fixtures, often stretching squads to their very limits. Then we have the January transfer window, presenting Premier League clubs with an ideal opportunity to tweak their squads, midway through the campaign. It’s not called “silly season” without good reason.
But how many of these proposed moves might actually come to fruition? Well, there are three interesting stories circulating at the moment, claiming Liverpool are focused on certain targets based in LaLiga, although each would require Fenway Sports Group to part with a significant outlay. Let’s take a look at who they are and just as importantly, whether they could be signed.
João Félix – Atlético Madrid
The future of 22-year-old João Félix appears to be uncertain with Atlético Madrid, following recent reports in Spain that he is looking to move on. The wheels began turning early in December, when Madrid outlet AS reported that he was unsettled. Radio station SER then added momentum, claiming that according to their sources, club CEO Miguel Ángel Gil had instructed agent Jorge Mendes to find bidders.
‼️ Según adelantó el @diarioas y amplió en El Larguero Javier Matallanas, el portugués puede salir en enero
🎙️ Lo cuenta @Matallanashttps://t.co/ANwwd2WTbY
— El Larguero (@ellarguero) December 8, 2021
When the story then appeared at English media outlets, both Manchester City and Liverpool were instantly linked, aided by a Twitter post by Don Hutchinson. The former Red insisted that Felix is “wasted” under Diego Simeone, although he would be ideal for Pep Guardiola or Jürgen Klopp, where the full potential of his attacking talents could be realised.
Felix is an exceptional talent, which is why Atlético Madrid paid more than £113 million to sign him from Benfica in 2019. But the key problem here is that if his club is willing to sell, and if Liverpool are even remotely interested, Atlético will be looking to recoup their initial outlay. Essentially, it’s difficult to imagine FSG agreeing to that and especially in January.
Gavi – FC Barcelona
Whenever the word ‘wonderkid’ is bandied around, it can often be taken with a pinch of salt. However, when associated with young Barcelona midfielder Gavi, it genuinely does appear justified for the talented 17-year-old. Just to underline the point and ahead of his 18th birthday next August, Gavi already has 4 caps for Spain as their youngest ever debutant, 14 appearances in LaLiga and 6 in the Champions League.
🆙 Gavi 💥 pic.twitter.com/s9o3W8wcct
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) December 11, 2021
Barcelona currently have very high expectations for Gavi, which means they are also keen to lock down his long-term future, amidst ongoing negotiations towards that end. The problem is that inevitably, other big clubs around Europe have been paying close attention. Marca say that Liverpool are trying to lure the Spain international to the Premier League
Gavi has a release clause valuation of €50 million in his current contract, which means that any club can pay that sum without the need to even haggle with Barcelona. While this is quite a large outlay in today’s market, Liverpool do need to plan for the future when it comes to midfield options, making this a worthwhile and sensible investment.
Rodrygo – Real Madrid
Due to celebrate his 21st birthday in early January, speculation continues to grow around the future of Rodrygo Silva de Goes at Real Madrid. Excusing the unavoidable pun, whether he goes or not will depend on a variety of considerations. His current club value the young Brazilian highly, despite the forward not featuring as much as he would like.
26 – Real Madrid have avoided the defeat in their 26 LaLiga games with Rodrygo Goes as starter since the 2019/20 season (W18 D8). Talisman. pic.twitter.com/WV1N8KUXxb
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) December 4, 2021
Mostly deployed from the substitutes bench, Rodrygo has made 15 appearances in LaLiga and 5 in the Champions League, contributing 2 goals and 3 assists this term. That’s not too shabby considering the competition he faces, although reports have emerged from Spain that Liverpool are monitoring his progress, ahead of a potential £68 million swoop.
Amidst the prospect of Kylian Mbappe heading to Real Madrid in the summer, it’s fair to say Rodrygo would fall further down the pecking order. That being said, it’s hard to imagine Real Madrid being willing to sell in January, regardless of reports claiming that Klopp wants the player now, mindful of losing Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to AFCON 2021. For now, it would seem the Brazilian will be staying in Spain.
Backing Future Transfers
All the talk surrounding transfers is fuelled by a highly engaged and captivated audience, as fans clamour for the latest news and rumours linking players to their favourite club. Supporters of the Reds are no different in that regard. Even the best football betting sites in Arab countries are getting involved, opening markets and providing competitive odds, where punters can back potential player transfers.
Of course, checking detailed reviews of each site is always advised, looking for good feedback relating to the trust and reputation of online bookies. Indeed, that’s clearly something that Klopp and the Liverpool scouting department will be doing, as they seek transfer targets to suit the needs of the team, whether looking for immediate signings in January or further ahead next summer.
