Liverpool 'make four man transfer shortlist' as Kylian Mbappe stance revealed

Liverpool transfer news with the latest headlines and rumours from Anfield with a fresh Liverpool ECHO perspective

Liverpool 'make four man transfer shortlist' as Kylian Mbappe stance revealed

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Jurgen Klopp continues to impress with the way he makes the most out of his Liverpool squad. The Reds boss has had to endure a number of injury problems in recent weeks, but still sent a side out to beat rivals Arsenal in the FA Cup on Sunday.

However, the January transfer window provides a chance for the Reds to make key changes to their squad and with so much to fight for - the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Europa League are all very much up for grabs - it only makes sense to see them heavily linked with players across the board.

And the Liverpool ECHO takes a look at this morning's Liverpool transfer rumours, starting with a man everyone is familiar with by now, Kylian Mbappe.

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Liverpool have been admirers of Mbappe in the past, but Klopp and the club have often distanced themselves from a move for the forward, purely because of how much he'd cost. But that doesn't stop the transfer talk. Mbappe potentially being available for transfer is huge news and it's not often that a player of his stature is on the market for effectively free.

It reported in The Times that Paris Saint-Germain are 'confident' that they will not lose the 25-year-old to Liverpool but then again, they are also reportedly not willing to sell him to Real Madrid. The report claims that, though Liverpool may well need someone to fill the shoes of Mohamed Salah in the not so distant future, and that Mbappe is open to a move to England, PSG just aren't worried about possible suitors right now.

Liverpool ECHO says: PSG are going to be running out of options pretty fast if Liverpool and Madrid are both off the cards. Barcelona can't afford to go into anymore financial strife and Manchester City already have Erling Haaland.

Chelsea continue to struggle on the pitch, plus they can't really afford him given their own wastefulness. in the transfer market. Arsenal have FFP problems of their own. Who else is really left? Of the English teams there is something about Liverpool and Mbappe that just makes sense. Even if the numbers don't for the Reds.

Liverpool will always be in the conversation and no-matter what PSG say about deciding his next move it has been clear for quite some time that Mbappe himself has the power in this relationship. If he did indicate a desire to move to Anfield, it would be a test of FSG's ambition, and also impact on the future of Mohamed Salah.

Meanwhile, Liverpool continue to be linked with defensive recruits, with Klopp's numbers depleted.

The Reds are rapidly losing their options in defence with Virgil van Dijk missing the Arsenal match due to illness.. Even if the Dutchman does return to feature against Fulham, Joel Matip's long-term injury, as well as Kostas Tsimikas and Andy Robertson currently being sidelined, means there isn't much room to manoeuvre for Klopp at this present time.

However, reports say that Liverpool are attempting to bolster their options in defence. It is said in the Daily Mail that the club are turning their attention with full force to Portugal to try and resolve their shortcomings.

On what is described as a four-man defensive shortlist is Sporting CP pair Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande along with Benfica's Antonio Silva and Maxence Lacroix from Wolfsburg in Germany. The quartet are largely extremely young and extremely quick. But none of them will come cheap.

Liverpool ECHO says: Liverpool have already been planning for defensive recruits and that may be more likely in the summer, though we've seen before with the likes of Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo that the Reds are willing to bring those plans forward should an opportunity present itself.

In the short-term and with a view to the long-term though, Liverpool would be wise to get any of the four names listed. Diomande is perhaps the most versatile and can do a role across the defence most similar to Joe Gomez while Silva is maybe the most promising - that also means the most expensive.

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