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Analysis Liverpool’s January Transfer DealSheet: Latest on Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo interest

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A split image showing Arne Slot and Marc Guehi

Arne Slot and Liverpool are still interested in Marc Guehi

 

 

Liverpool are planning for a quiet month when the transfer window reopens despite concerns at centre-back, a growing injury list and uncertainty in the forward line.

 

The information found within this article has been gathered according to The Athletic’s sourcing guidelines. Sources with knowledge of transfer dealings, who asked to be kept anonymous to protect relationships, have been spoken to before offering the clubs involved the opportunity to comment.

 

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After doing the bulk of their business during the summer, club sources have indicated there will not be a flurry of activity in January. Liverpool are unlikely to consider short-term solutions. Instead, they will push on with their expensively assembled squad, which is starting to gel after a tricky first half of the season.

 

There may still be room for an addition, but head coach Arne Slot says he “fully believes in the way of working”, despite admitting the current situation is “tough”. Slot will have to turn to youngsters to fill gaps in his squad should injuries persist.

 

Here, The Athletic’s Gregg Evans takes a closer look at what Liverpool will be considering as we approach the turn of the year.

 

What is the manager’s priority?

Central defensive cover is a massive issue for Liverpool, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate the only fit senior options. Slot knows that his back line is stretched — Joe Gomez is out with a hamstring injury and Giovanni Leoni is unlikely to return until next season following an anterior cruciate ligament injury in September.

 

Academy graduate Wellity Lucky has been called up to the bench in recent times as cover, and the 19-year-old defender may be needed during the hectic period ahead.

 

Alexander Isak faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after surgery on his fractured leg, Cody Gakpo has missed the last three matches with a muscle injury, and Mohamed Salah is at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt, leaving Slot short on numbers during a period of intense fixture congestion.

 

 

Alexander Isak has recently suffered an injuryJustin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

What positions will they be looking at in January?

Centre-back is the most obvious spot, but the forward line has also come into sharp focus because of recent injuries and the uncertainty around Salah.

 

Liverpool are still interested in signing Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, despite missing out on the England international late in the last window. The move has become more complex due to his contract situation — he is set to become a free agent this summer — and the additional challenges of completing a transfer mid-season.

 

Palace pulled the plug on a £35million deal on deadline day, having decided to keep him for this season. Liverpool don’t expect that stance to change in January. It’s also doubtful whether Guehi would want to leave next month, given that, financially, he would be better off waiting and walking away as a free agent come the summer.

 

Liverpool have the freedom to react in the market if needed but will likely stick with what they have.

 

Which players do they want?

Liverpool admire Antoine Semenyo, but The Athletic has reported that the forward’s preference — with Manchester United keen and Chelsea deciding against a move after an initial enquiry — in January is to join Manchester City.

 

Links to Semenyo, already heightened as Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes originally recruited him to Bournemouth, cranked up after Salah’s public outburst about losing his place in the team.

 

However, Liverpool don’t expect the Egyptian attacker to leave in January, so in that case, there wouldn’t be a space in the squad to fill.

 

As in every window, the club’s recruitment staff will be assessing ‘market opportunities’, with several young players on their radar.

 

Who will they be looking to sell?

There’s no urgency to offload, especially after 10 players (seven permanent) were moved on in the summer. Liverpool are planning for the rest of the season with Salah on board and are not expected to lose any senior players.

 

A decision needs to be taken over Harvey Elliott’s short-term future. His loan spell at Aston Villa is not going to plan and he is unlikely to make the 10 appearances that trigger a £35million ($47.2m) move. He has only played in five matches.

 

As Elliott has already represented two clubs this season, he cannot play for another, so he either stays at Villa or returns to Anfield. He’s not playing — or even making the squad — as manager Unai Emery believes other players in his position are fulfilling his specific tactical requirements more successfully.

 

Another layer of complexity is centred on the terms of the loan, which do not include a recall clause, so it’s not as simple as Liverpool just deciding to bring him back and end the nightmare move. Villa will also have to pay to terminate the loan early.

 

Will anyone move out on loan?

The growing injury list may change plans to loan out young players on the periphery of the senior squad.

 

Trey Nyoni has interest from clubs on the continent and across the UK, but the 18-year-old was introduced for his Premier League debut late into the 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. Calvin Ramsay, 22, has also been in the squad in recent weeks and may be needed as backup with Gomez out. Stefan Bajcetic could do with a run of games following a lengthy injury, but the 21-year-old won’t be rushed out, while strikers Jayden Danns, 19, and Will Wright, 17, are on the comeback trail after injury.

 

This could, however, be an ideal window for 19-year-old Trent Kone-Doherty to make his first loan move as clubs continue to monitor his progress when he represents Liverpool in the UEFA Youth League and during under-21 games. Rhys Williams, meanwhile, was unable to secure a loan move in the summer, but there may be fresh interest in the 24-year-old this next window.

 

 

Trey Nyoni made his Premier League debut against Tottenham HotspurLewis Storey/Getty Images

Do they need to sell to buy?

Not necessarily, but given the huge spend over the summer and the uncertainty over Elliott, there’s a greater emphasis on buying to replace rather than simply adding to the squad.

 

Other than in central defence, Liverpool are still relatively well-stocked after the summer rebuild.

 

What is their PSR position? What sort of budget do they have?

“The outside world wants to believe we have unlimited money but that is not true,” Slot said recently when discussing the January window. That was another reminder that it’s going to be quiet after big outlays on Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Leoni in the summer.

 

Profit and sustainability rules are an ongoing concern for every club, but Liverpool are well-positioned, given they generated up to £260million from sales in the last window and have continued to strengthen their books through huge commercial deals as well as competing in the Champions League.

 

If they don’t make any signings, can they achieve their goals this season?

A mini-revival has helped lift the mood, and the hard-earned 1-0 win at Inter, who had not lost at home in the Champions League for over three years, showed that this current crop still has what it takes to succeed in Europe.

 

Most of the damage has already been done in the Premier League, and Liverpool should still be strong enough to finish in the top four regardless of what they do in January. Another defender would certainly give the team an edge in Europe, though.

 

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News Liverpool’s injury list, suspensions and availability

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Read the latest information on injuries, suspensions and availability in the Liverpool men’s squad.

 

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Injuries

 

Hugo Ekitike

 

Ekitike was unavailable for the clash with Fulham because of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Arne Slot was asked whether he will be fit for the game at Arsenal on January 8.

 

Slot on January 7: “He has not trained with us until now and let’s see if he can today.

 

“I’ve said, I think, two or three days ago when we played Fulham that he is not going to be out for long but because games come so fast he is in between maybe training with the team or it would take him one or two days extra.”

 

Wataru Endo

 

The midfielder has been out of action with an ankle injury since appearing in the 3-3 draw at Leeds United on December 6.

 

Alexander Isak

 

Isak is facing a spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture on December 22.

 

He sustained the issue while scoring against Tottenham Hotspur two days prior.

 

Slot on December 23: “It’s going to be a long injury. For a couple of months. That’s a big, big, big disappointment for him and as a result of that of course also for us.”

 

Slot did also confirm he is confident Isak will be able to play again during the 2025-26 season.

 

Giovanni Leoni

 

The defender is amid a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the end of his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

 

Slot on September 26: “He is not in a good place, of course, because he tore his ACL and it means he will be out for a year. Being so young and coming to a new country and playing so well in your first game… it’s very hard to take the positive side.

 

“There’s never a positive side – but you always try to look at a positive side and that is that he is still so young, so he has so many years still to go after he recovers from a terrible injury like that.”

 

Availability

 

Mohamed Salah

 

After featuring off the bench versus Brighton on December 13, the forward is now with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.

 

Salah scored in the group games against Zimbabwe and South Africa to help his country reach the last 16. They are next in action on January 5.

 

Suspensions

 

Conor Bradley

 

Bradley is one yellow card away from receiving a one-match suspension in the Champions League.

 

The Reds travel to Marseille on January 21 for matchday seven of the league phase and then host Qarabag a week later.

 

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Here’s the latest confirmed update on Noah Adekoya and his Liverpool move: Everything you NEED to know about Noah Adekoya as Liverpool complete transfer

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Centre-Back Noah Adekoya Signs for Liverpool

 

 

 

 

🔴 Transfer Completed — Medical & Contract

✅ Noah Adekoya has completed his move to Liverpool from Burnley during the January 2026 transfer window. He confirmed the transfer on social media with a post saying “God’s plan” alongside photos of him signing his Liverpool contract. �

⚽️ The move has been reported by multiple sources, and it’s understood he has signed officially after completing any required medical and paperwork. �

yardbarker.com

Yahoo Sports

📋 Who Is Noah Adekoya?

Position: Centre-back

Age: 19

Previous Club: Burnley (where he came through the youth system)

Notable: He captained Burnley’s U18s and has been regarded as a strong young talent with leadership qualities and composure on the ball. �

TEAMtalk

🏟️ Role at Liverpool

🔄 Adekoya is expected to link up with Liverpool’s academy/U21 setup initially, with the aim to continue his development and potentially break through toward the senior team in the future. �

This Is Anfield

🧠 Medical Status

📍 While individual medical details (like injuries or fitness specifics) are private and not publicly disclosed, reports confirm that the transfer has gone through, which in football normally means the player has passed all necessary medical checks and cleared club evaluations before official signing. �

TEAMtalk

If you want, I can share highlights of his playing style and how he might fit into Liverpool’s defense next!

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Here’s the latest on the Marc Guehi → Arsenal situation (January 2026 transfer window):

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Declan Rice has told Arsenal why they should snap up Marc Guehi before Liverpool and Man City

 

 

 

 

 

Arsenal are reportedly in the running to sign Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi in the January transfer window and Declan Rice has already given Mikel Arteta a big hint as to his suitability for the Gunners

 

 

Marc Guehi is out of contract in the summer and is reportedly being eyed by Arsenal

 

Arsenal are said to be among a host of clubs vying for the signature of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi. And Declan Rice has already hinted at one reason why he’d be a good fit for the Gunners.

 

 

England defender Guehi was on the brink of a move to Liverpool last summer before the deal fell through, leaving his future up in the air. The 25-year-old’s contract is set to expire in 2026 and Palace boss Oliver Glasner has conceded that he could depart Selhurst Park this month if a suitable offer comes in.

 

Manchester City, Liverpool and Bayern Munich are all reportedly keeping a close eye on Guehi. However, current league leaders Arsenal, who extended their lead at the top after a goalless draw with Liverpool on Thursday, have also reportedly thrown their hat into the ring. And Gunners ace Rice has already revealed a characteristic of Guehi’s that would surely pique Arteta’s interest.

 

In 2023, Rice was asked to describe each of his England team-mates with a single word for their social media channels, and his response when Guehi’s name came up was quite revealing.

 

Before Guehi, Rice was asked about Brighton’s Lewis Dunk, whom he described as “intelligent.” But when it came to Guehi, Rice said: “To be fair, I didn’t know he was coming. Intelligent.”

 

READ MORE: Arsenal, Man City and Aston Villa’s next Premier League fixtures after title race twistREAD MORE: Man City get six-figure request from club who has ‘written to’ Pep Guardiola’s team

 

Rice’s commendation suggests that not only is Guehi a clever player, but he would have ordinarily been considered the most intelligent member of the squad over Dunk. This is a trait that Arteta values highly.

 

 

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Discussing former midfielder Jorginho back in 2023, Arteta was quick to praise the Italian’s footballing intelligence. The Spaniard remarked: “The detail he can go into, to understand what is happening, not individually, but what’s actually happening in life, in the game, is really impressive.

 

 

Rice described Guehi as

“You use him because he is always there, when he’s on the bench, like another coach. Every time I look behind, he’s there – it’s great that he is living the game.”

 

Moreover, when quizzed in 2024 about how Rice, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino would combine in midfield, Arteta highlighted intelligence as a key quality.

 

He stated: “There’ve been a lot of new units recently… and I think they can play well together. Three very intelligent football brains. They like to play for others. You have players who can hold the ball in tight spaces and can play for others. Martin is exceptional in his timing and high press.”

Arteta clearly prizes a smart footballer, and according to one of his star players, Guehi fits that description perfectly. Reports suggest a £40million bid could tempt Palace to part with him come January.

 

However, the Gunners may face stiff competition from title challengers City in pursuit of his signature, with Palace boss Glasner making it abundantly clear that should a substantial offer arrive, Guehi would be free to depart if he so desires.

 

“I’m not naive,” said Glasner. “If a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen. There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen – as long as Marc says ‘I want to leave’, because the final decision is always with the player.”

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