Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes has undoubtedly made a brilliant impression on supporters after being appointed to his position last June, playing a crucial role in bringing Arne Slot to Anfield and landing Federico Chiesa from Juventus for a bargain fee.
However, while Slot had previously hinted at a desire for reinforcements in January, Liverpool have stayed put with the deadline approaching, with Hughes making no signings nor triggering first-team sales.
With little speculation on who could be leaving or joining the club, let’s take a look at some possible pro’s and con’s as a result of the stagnant window.
Pro: Not fixing what ain’t broke
It’s hard to argue that the Reds desperately needed fresh blood in the team while this current group has been playing immensely together, losing just three games across their 36 total Premier League, Champions League and FA & EFL Cup fixtures this season; that equates to picking up positive results in about 92% of matches.
Slot has an ability to tactically deploy players for action when they are actually needed, showing a penchant for picking the appropriate team based on the occasion.
Regular starters have generally looked well-rested and ready for the supreme competitiveness of the Premier League and Champions League, while role players have risen to the occasion to keep Liverpool alive in both domestic cups.
If Hughes and Slot agreed to focus all of their efforts on further improving the current squad to grow even stronger in the second half of the season, it’d be almost illogical to disagree with their decision.
Con: Reliance on VVD’s fitness
Liverpool have dealt with their fair share of injuries this season, but they've been fortunate that captain and defensive giant Virgil van Dijk has remained healthy and available whenever needed.
While other center backs such as Ibrahima Konaté and Joe Gomez have both picked up knocks at different points this campaign, van Dijk has thankfully remained unbitten by the injury bug; but if he were to go down, this could present a major setback to the squad.
Recently, Slot wisely chose to rest his top center-back pairing of van Dijk and Konaté against PSV, with a top-eight Champions League finish already secured.
However, with Gomez still injured, he was forced to shift Andrew Robertson out of his usual fullback role to partner with Jarrell Quansah; despite PSV also resting starters, they still managed to score three goals in one half against the makeshift defense.
Despite a well-earned rest and a solid performance against Bournemouth in their latest Premier League match, Konaté is still working his way back to peak form after a few subpar displays following his injury, and with Gomez sidelined, a van Dijk injury in the second half could have Liverpool fans holding their breath.
While dealing in hypotheticals—especially given the unpredictability of injuries—isn’t ideal for a well-run club, could Liverpool have made a low-risk, cost-effective signing at center-back as insurance for their dominant Dutchman?
Pro: Saving for a big summer move
Liverpool keeping their pounds in their purse could end up being a wise decision, as the summer transfer window is when clubs usually make bigger pushes to sign players anyways.
Think of the masterful midfield rebuild Jürgen Klopp achieved in the summer of 2023–it’s hard to imagine that the club bought Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo all in the same transfer period, but with the season finished, the summer window presents clubs with a more thoughtful approach to transfers rather than the tighter January deadline.
A 150 million pound investment for all four players is an absolute bargain now, and while it’s a large total in a vacuum, Liverpool have displayed they’re willing to open up their checkbooks once the weather gets warmer.
With the club already linked to some big names like Jonathan David, who shone on the Champions League group stage for Lille on their way to a top eight finish, his €45 million price tag could prove to be quite affordable with Liverpool deciding to not spend in January.
Given the club's midfield renaissance is complete, could we see an expensive striker come to Anfield as a result of the club saving money?