Liverpool returns to action in midweek, when the Reds play West Ham for a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
Liverpool last won this competition little under two years ago, and following a trophy-less season in 2022/23, Jürgen Klopp would no doubt like to win several this season, beginning with the League Cup.
Given Liverpool’s previous form, the 0-0 draw at home to Manchester United on Sunday might have been considered a setback, but the club is still only a point behind Premier League leaders Arsenal at the top of the league. With the two teams meeting on Saturday, a win would put Liverpool on top moving into the holiday season.
With the winter transfer window beginning in just 11 days, transfer rumours will begin to build up and kick into high gear. The Reds will be linked to a slew of players in the coming weeks. Some of those connections will be shaky at best, while others will have some substance or believability to them. Here’s Liverpool.com’s take on the latest transfer rumours swirling around the Reds.
Lucas Beraldo (Sao Paulo)
Lucas Beraldo has received high praise in Brazil, and the 20-year-old had previously been linked with a move to Liverpool (via Fichajes). With Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip getting older, and Ibrahima Konaté being prone to injury, Jürgen Klopp will have to look to the future at some point.
Beraldo is being connected with Liverpool again, according to Italian outlet TuttoJuve, following Matip’s ACL rupture. According to TuttoJuve, Juventus and Arsenal are also interested in signing the defender, but given Juve’s financial difficulties, Liverpool would have the upper hand.
Meanwhile, Anfield Central reports that Zenit St Petersburg’s $20 million (£16 million/€18 million) deal was rejected because Sao Paulo wants $22 million (£17 million/€20 million), and Leicester City is poised to match their demands.
Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Joshua Kimmich has long been regarded as one of the finest in the world, capable of playing in a variety of positions, including midfield and defence. The 28-year-old has been one of Bayern Munich’s top players for years, but German newspaper Bild reports that the club may be willing to sell him this summer, with his contract expiring in 2025.
If Kimmich does not sign an extension, Bayern will be forced to sell the player next summer, and Liverpool has been mooted as a possible destination. Liverpool and Bayern Munich have an excellent relationship, with Thiago Alcântara moving to Merseyside from Bavaria in the summer of 2020.