BREAKING NEWS : Conor Bradley is Better than Alexander Arnold , Arne Slot praise, press conference

Liverpool transfer news LIVE: double injury update, Conor Bradley praise, Arne Slot press conference

 

Liverpool transfer news live after the Reds qualified for the Carabao Cup final, while Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is linked with a move, and Arne Slot holds a press conference

 

Arne Slot, Frenkie de Jong and Virgil van Dijk.

Liverpool will face Newcastle United in the final of the Carabao Cup next month after it swept aside Spurs at Anfield. Cody Gakpo, Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk all scored in the semi-final second leg, as Arne Slot booked his first visit to Wembley.

 

“I think we had some big nights here already but yeah, to reach a final should also be special, and that is what it is,” Slot said. “So yeah in that perspective, it has been the most special evening.

 

“In Holland, we only have one cup competition, and that final is played at the end of the season. So it is new experience but a nice one to have. It is a special stadium for English people but also for Dutch people because we know the history of the stadium and final as well.”

 

Follow the latest Liverpool news in our live blog below, including updates from Slot’s press conference ahead of Sunday’s trip to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup.

 

Key Events

 

Diaz linked with Chelsea

 

Luis Diaz is being linked with a move to Chelsea, reports football365.

 

Diaz joined Liverpool in 2022 and is enjoying his best season for the Reds, but it is claimed that Chelsea is willing to make the Colombian one of the highest-paid players in its squad.

 

The 28-year-old is contracted to the Anfield club until 2027, so Liverpool is in a fairly strong position regarding the player’s future.

 

Merson gives bleak (and unfounded) contract prediction

 

Paul Merson thinks Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk will all end up leaving Liverpool if the Reds win the Premier League this season.

 

He told Sky Sports:

 

“Call me a cynic, I don’t think any of them sign. I think they wait and see, if they win the league, I don’t know where you go if you’re Liverpool.

 

“When Liverpool won the league in Covid it wasn’t the same. You watch them lift the trophy, the Kop wasn’t there, the fans. They hadn’t won it for a long time. If they go and win it this time in-front of their fans…

 

“I just think Salah, Van Dijk, Trent, they’ve won the Champions League, they’ve won the Premier League in-front of the fans – which will be a lot different believe me – then I don’t see them signing.

 

“Call me a cynic but we’re talking 18 months now, they get a pay rise when they sign, they don’t sign for the same. That might be 50 grand a week, 50 grand a week over 18 months is a lot of money. For me, I’m not sure they sign if they win the Premier League.”

 

Slot’s double injury update

 

In case you missed it… Speaking in his press conference earlier today, Arne Slot confirmed Trent Alexander-Arnold and Tyler Morton will both miss this weekend’s trip to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup.

 

While Alexander-Arnold’s injury is not serious (he could return against Everton in next week’s Merseyside derby), Morton is potentially facing months out with a shoulder problem.

 

Liverpool’s next five league games

 

Last night night’s victory over Tottenham has seen Liverpool’s Premier League game against Aston Villa, which was originally pencilled in for the weekend of the Carabao Cup final, brought forward to February 19.

 

That means the Reds are facing a run of five league games in 15 days later this month, and this is what that run looks like…

 

Everton (a) – Feb 12

 

Wolves (h) – Feb 16

 

Villa (a) – Feb 19

 

City (a) – Feb 23

 

Newcastle (h) – Feb 26

 

11:00Liam Corless

 

Nunez’s form?

 

He’s been better. I think in general we use the No.9 better and better than we maybe did in the beginning of the season. That is the positive of playing more games and training together. At the beginning of the season, we were quite dependent on our wingers, but we are starting to use our No.9 more and more.

 

10:59Liam Corless

 

Happy with the state of the squad, with only Trent and Morton injured?

 

It’s something you want, if you have to play so many games and the importance of the games are growing and growing.

 

10:57Liam Corless

 

Rearranged Villa game

 

We want to be competing for every trophy, so we must not complain about the amount of games we have to play. I don’t see an advantage or a disadvantage. It is what it is.

 

10:55Liam Corless

 

Decision made on which GK will start the final?

 

We never know what the situation around the final is. How fit is everyone, do they need a game? I never guarantee anything to players so far in advance and that’s not what I’m going to do now.

 

10:54Liam Corless

 

No Alisson last night

 

We usually play the second goalkeeper in the League Cup. There was only one exception and that was Tottenham away when Alisson had just come back and I felt he needed extra playing time. Yesterday was a League Cup game so that meant Caoimh was in goal and he absolutely deserved to be in goal for everything he did until now.

 

10:53Liam Corless

 

James McConnell and Tyler Morton

 

(McConnell impressed during) the PSV game, and also on the training pitch. I see a player that is competing with our other midfielders, always gives everything he has. Tyler Morton is out with an injury for a while so that means, I think he was our sixth midfielder, and James was taking that position for the upcoming weeks as well. James is doing really well.

 

Tyler has a shoulder injury and will be out for weeks, or maybe even longer.

 

10:51Liam Corless

 

Is the team well placed to go for quadruple?

 

I can tell you that we are in a very good place. The players are fit, are ready, not only the 11 from yesterday, but the ones that came in as well. We know how long the season is and how many difficult challenges there will be for us. There is one downside of beating Spurs 4-0… because last team we beat them 6-3 and then beat West Ham 5-0, because when we started winning 1-0 people started saying we’d lost form! We’re going to try everything to win every single football match.

 

10:48Liam Corless

 

Is Bradley good enough to be first choice if Trent leaves?

 

“You’ve come up with a different idea of asking this question (about Trent leaving)! I think it’s fair to say that for many positions we have many good players. I can go through the whole team telling you this. It’s normal if you work at a club of this magnitude, that you have more than 11 good players.”

 

10:45Liam Corless

 

On Van Dijk’s form

 

“I think Virgil deserves every compliment he gets, he’s been outstanding for this club for so many years. Yesterday was an example of that. He was in a good manner, aggressive, he led the team. With the ball we know what we can do, and without the ball he was sharp. Virgil is having a good season, but like all the others he wants to make it a great season and we still have to play many games… I hope I can enjoy working with him for a very long time.”

 

10:44Liam Corless

 

Rotation?

 

“It’s always a tricky tie, no matter what team you play, because it’s an away game, it’s their final. It is true that if you play with a team that hasn’t played so much together, that is difficult for the players. I think when you’ve seen us play with a team that hasn’t played so much together, like in Eindhoven, these players can still play a very good game. It’s important to give these players playing time, so that they’re ready if we do get some injuries or suspensions. We will definitely play a few players that haven’t played that much.”

 

 

 

 

Will Trent be available this weekend?

 

Slot: I don’t think so yet, that’s going to be too early for him. Difficult to say [if he’ll be back] for the derby. It’s not going to take months, or even weeks, but that is only three days after the Plymouth game so let’s wait and see if he’s available. We don’t want to take any risks. If he’s fit, we will use him.

 

Slot press conference coming up

 

Arne Slot will be speaking to the media in around 15 minutes as he looks ahead to Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Plymouth.

 

Top of the list for talking points is likely to be Trent Alexander-Arnold’s fitness, with the Liverpool vice-captain looking to overcome injury in time for the weekend.

 

Stick with us for all the latest from Slot’s press conference…

 

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.

 

 

Fixture change confirmed

 

With Liverpool reaching the Carabao Cup final last night, there has been a pretty significant change to the fixture schedule.

 

The Reds’ trip to Aston Villa, originally scheduled for March 15, has now been move forward to February 19. That means the two weeks Arne Slot’s side was supposed to have free after avoiding the Champions League play-off round have now been filled, with the rearranged game against Everton coming next week.

 

Not the ideal situation for Liverpool, especially with a trip to Man City following soon after, although it does give the Reds the potential to build at least a 12-point lead over Arsenal in the Premier League title race. Every cloud and all that…

 

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

 

09:00James Findlater

 

‘Bombshell’ Brahim Diaz move

 

Liverpool is lining up a “bombshell” move for Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz this summer, according to Fichajes.

 

The former Manchester City ace, now 25, is claimed to be a “priority” target for Arne Slot. Under contract until 2027, Diaz has previously been valued at around $62m (£50m/€60m).

 

MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 09: Brahim Diaz of Real Madrid passes the ball during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid CF and CA Osasuna at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on November 09, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Mateo Villalba/Getty Images)(Image: Getty Images)

 

08:33James Findlater

 

Frenkie de Jong bargain deal

 

Liverpool could secure a bargain deal for Frenkie de Jong, according to Caught Offside.

 

De Jong’s contract at Barcelona is due to expire in 2026, with the Reds said to be keen on his signing. What’s more, it’s claimed that his current side could accept a bid as low as $37m (£29m/€35m) in the summer.

 

Frenkie de Jong could be available in the summer transfer window(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

 

07:52Key Event

 

Van Dijk responds to contract rumor

 

Virgil van Dijk has rubbished suggestions this week that he has signed a new contract at Liverpool, insisting the rumors are “absolutely wrong”.

 

Earlier this week, a social media account gained a lot of attention after spreading the rumor that Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah had already signed new deals, but speaking before last night’s win over Tottenham, the Liverpool captain put things straight:

 

The only thing I’m focusing on is the game ahead of me, and I’m feeling good. I think everyone can see that, and what the future brings, at the moment, I’ve got no idea.

 

So anyone who says they know it, they are absolutely wrong. But we’ll see what happens.