Even before Liverpool fans’ eyes have even witnessed Jurgen Klopp devise his first ever Reds starting eleven against Tottenham on Saturday lunchtime, our Kopites in the Football Transfer Tavern have been speculating over who the German boss could be bringing in, in January.
While the Reds spent huge sums of money in the summer again on the likes of Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke, Liverpool’s defence still looks like it’s need of some attention, not to mention the central midfield area where some fans would like to see another top quality body added.
One man who could fit the bill is FC Porto’s Ruben Neves who if you believe what you read in the papers right now, is at the centre of a transfer tug-of-war between both Liverpool and Chelsea.
The latest on the situation of the Portuguese Under-21 international comes from The Mirror who claim Liverpool have upped the ante in the race for his signature by making an informal approach for his services.
In previous days, we’ve read that Jurgen Klopp also personally endorses the transfer for the 18-year-old who despite is age, is now a firm fixture in FC Porto’s side.
With talk that Liverpool could make Neves the best paid teenager in world football, anybody that hasn’t seen the capabilities of this youngster must head on over to YouTube to see what all the fuss is about!
If Liverpool do manage to get their hands on the young talent, they can feel very smug but who else may be following the Porto youngster to Anfield in January? Here’s five men who might be.
Our landlord has been reading the quotes from Liverpool legend John Barnes over at the bar here in the Tavern, with Branes claiming to the Mirror: “We have a great manager, who given time, can be successful. Does that mean winning the league? We don’t know. All any manager can do is maximise the potential of the squad.
Our landlord echoes the sentiment of Barnes, and feels Klopp won’t make an immediate change to the Reds team, it’ll be more of a gradual process.
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Click on the image below to reveal the five players who could follow Ruben Neves to Liverpool in January.
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Andrea Ranocchia
As mentioned at the outset, it’s most definitely Liverpool’s defence which could do with a bit of strengthening right now with errors seeping into Emre Can’s game, not to mention the fact that Kolo Toure and Dejan Lovren aren’t fully trusted by the Kop when called upon.
One man who has more recently been linked with an Anfield switch of late is Inter Milan’s Andrea Ranocchia with The Mirror referencing Italian reports that claim Jurgen Klopp wants the Italian international at Anfield having failed to sign him during his tenure at Borussia Dortmund.
Standing at 6 ft 5 in, Ranocchia is an incredibly domineering presence at the back and after falling out of favour under Roberto Mancini at the San Siro, if Liverpool stump up the cash, this is a deal you could see as being relatively straightforward although the Liverpool Echo claim Roma could make life difficult for the Reds in terms of competition.
Conor Chaplin
While the Reds have splashed big money on the likes of Firmino and Benteke for the first team in the summer, one thing which is true is that Liverpool are always intent on reinforcing the strength of their academy ranks with new youthful signings.
In the summer, the Reds signed former Barcelona youth product Bobby Adekanye while the likes of Pedro Chirivella have received some first team action already this season.
Another youthful product Liverpool are reportedly keen on is Portsmouth striker Conor Chaplin who Brendan Rodgers was reportedly interested in signing ahead of his sacking.
Just 18-years-old, Chaplin has already scored goals against far higher opposition in the Capital One Cup in the form of Championship outfits Derby County and Reading already this season.
It just remains to be seen whether Jurgen Klopp will now glance over the situation or alternatively chase his own targets.
Neven Subotic
Distancing himself from the fact he could swoop for some of his old Borussia Dortmund players in the form of Ilkay Gundogan and this man Neven Subotic, Jurgen Klopp could be bluffing at the same time.
While the German manager will of course want to be respectful to his old side, having worked so closely with the likes of Subotic at Signal Iduna Park whule turning both he and others into world beaters, surely some of those players may be interested in a reunion?
Subotic is somebody who was rated far higher a couple of years ago but make no mistake, he’s still a top quality addition and somebody that Reds fans would take in a heartbeat over the likes of Mamadou Sakho, Dejan Lovren and Kolo Toure.
Adrien Rabiot
If Liverpool’s proposed swoop to land FC Porto’s Ruben Neves fails to come off, a top quality alternative in the transfer market could be Paris Saint-Germain’s Adrien Rabiot.
Highly-rated for a long time now, The Express report how the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have been invited to make considerable offers for the French Under-21 international who is far from being guaranteed regular game time in the centre of Laurent Blanc’s midfield.
Being unable to dislodge the first choice midfield three of Blaise Matuidi, Thiago Motta and Marco Verratti, Rabiot has so far put up with his bit-part status at the Parc Des Princes but surely this puts the likes of suitors such as Liverpool at an advantage?
Fitting Fenway Sports Group’s bill as a young, up-and-coming star of today and tomorrow, Rabiot could well be a player to marshal Liverpool’s midfield for many years to come.
Jorginho
Another defensive midfield alternative for Liverpool to consider should the Ruben Neves deal fall through is Napoli’s Jorginho who has also been interesting Manchester United of late.
Having earwigged on a strangely placid conversation between a Manchester United fan and Liverpool supporter at the bar, their conversation revolves around the fact that United don’t really need another defensive midfielder with Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin already bought in this summer and it’s hard to disagree.
For Liverpool on the other hand, Lucas Leiva isn’t getting any younger with the Brazilian actually being a player that has interested Napoli in recent transfer windows so we wonder if a potential swap deal may even be on the cards.
The Liverpool Echo claim that Jorginho is rated at £22 million but the player boasts no international experience having switched his allegiance from Brazil to Italy while awaiting his first senior international call-up by the Azzurri.
