Liverpool have now joined the race to sign a defensive reinforcement alongside interest from rivals Chelsea and Manchester United.
Slot shaping Liverpool future without Salah?
Arne Slot simply had to make a big call last weekend. PSV Eindhoven’s 4-1 thrashing took Liverpool’s form from a blip into a full-blown crisis and something had to give. Unfortunately, that something against West Ham United was Mohamed Salah.
Liverpool’s Egyptian King was forced to watch on from the bench as the Reds finally put in a more controlled performance and Alexander Isak netted his first Premier League goal for the club. But as much as that victory came as a relief, it also raised a serious question about Salah’s place in Slot’s best side.
Ahead of Liverpool’s crucial clash against Sunderland on Wednesday evening, Slot revealed Salah’s reaction to being dropped – telling reporters: “It’s a normal reaction from a player that is good enough to play for us.
“He wasn’t the only who wasn’t happy he wasn’t starting. The way he behaved is the way you would expect of a professional. He handled himself really well. A top professional.”
Whether we’ll see Liverpool’s star make a return to action in midweek remains to be seen. After returning to winning ways, Slot may be asking himself whether he can afford to change things up.
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2 ByAngus Sinclair
Of course, it’s worth noting that a large part of the Dutchman’s backline simply can’t be changed. Whilst Conor Bradley is back in training, he won’t be ready to face Sunderland, which leaves Joe Gomez as the only other more recognisable right-back unless Dominik Szoboszlai drops in again.
Meanwhile, Slot still has just two centre-backs available in Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, which is a problem that the Reds could solve by signing Castello Lukeba in January.
Liverpool join January race to sign Lukeba
As reported by Caught Offside, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Lukaba alongside Man United, Chelsea and Newcastle United in the January transfer window.
The RB Leipzig defender no longer has a release clause worth €90m (£79m) and will be available for just €60m (£52m) in the winter window. As concerns continue to grow that Liverpool could still miss out on Marc Guehi, Lukeba has suddenly emerged as an ideal option.
Compared to Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol by the Bundesliga’s official website, the Frenchman could yet make a similar impact on England’s top flight next year, ranking in the 99th percentile against other centre-backs in the top five leagues for successful take-ons.
Minutes
990
789
Progressive Passes
46
55
Tackles Won
6
8
Ball Recoveries
63
28
It’s easy to see where the comparisons with Gvardiol have come from. Lukeba is an excellent central defender who’s great on the ball, capable of carrying or passing it forward and destined for a big move.
Dubbed “unique” by Como scout Ben Mattinson last year, the Leipzig star is also still just 22 years old and yet to reach the peak of his powers. Even if Konate does sign a new contract at Anfield, Lukeba could arrive and take his place in Liverpool’s strongest side in 2026.
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