Celtic weigh Robertson move as Liverpool assess January options
Liverpool are braced for potential contact from Celtic over Andy Robertson in January, with the Scottish champions exploring whether a mid-season deal is feasible while Arne Slot weighs the knock-on effects for his defence. Early reports in the last 48 hours have flagged Celtic’s interest, framed around the player’s affinity for the club and a search for experience at left-back.
Contract picture and Liverpool’s stance
Robertson’s contract runs until 30 June 2026, leaving Liverpool with a decision to make as he approaches the final 18 months of his deal. Letting him enter the last year without clarity is unlikely to be the club’s preference, but sanctioning a sale mid-season would come with obvious sporting risks. The 31-year-old remains a high-level contributor and a leader within the group; any exit would require cover to be robust and ready.
Celtic’s calculation
Celtic’s recruitment team are evaluating an experienced addition on the left, with the logic that a proven international could stabilise that flank for the title run-in and European objectives. Robertson’s background is an added pull for Parkhead, but a deal would still need to satisfy Liverpool financially and logistically in a winter window that rarely makes elite moves straightforward. The signal from Scotland is interest, not inevitability, with the Glasgow club testing the temperature ahead of January.
Squad dynamics under Slot
Any conversation about Robertson must be set against Liverpool’s summer reshaping. The club invested £40m to sign Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth on a five-year contract, positioning the Hungary international as competition and succession on the left. In parallel, Kostas Tsimikas departed on a season-long loan to Roma, trimming depth behind the first two options. That context complicates a January sale: Slot would be reluctant to weaken a key position unless he’s convinced Kerkez can carry the load uninterrupted and the wider defensive unit remains balanced.
What would need to happen
For Celtic, the most realistic pathways are a structured permanent deal or an initial loan with obligations linked to appearances or team objectives. Either would require alignment on salary and fee, plus assurance that Robertson’s role is central rather than rotational. For Liverpool, the calculation hinges on three levers:
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Availability and form of Kerkez through a congested period.
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Market access to short-term cover if needed—never simple in January.
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Clarity on Robertson’s appetite for a new deal versus playing a different role in the second half of the season.
There is also the international layer. Scotland are pushing through World Cup qualification, and Robertson’s preference will naturally factor in playing time and rhythm ahead of the decisive months of 2026 preparation. None of that drives an outcome by itself, but it adds a human dimension to the decision tree.
Reading the room
This story sits at an early stage: interest from Celtic is genuine, Liverpool’s position is cautious, and the player’s contract timeline invites speculation. With Tsimikas out on loan and Kerkez still embedding, Liverpool can afford curiosity but not vulnerability. If a credible proposal arrives, the club will test it against sporting needs first and value second. Until then, this remains one to monitor rather than to declare imminent.
