Liverpool have made their first move in the January transfer window by signing PSV’s Cody Gakpo for £37 million plus add-ons worth £13 million. The acquisition is seen as a shot in the arm for the Reds, who lost wingers Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota to long term injuries and are set to miss the majority of the second half of the season. However, Liverpool need more reinforcements this month to recover from the poor start they have had this season.

Jurgen Klopp’s men currently sit outside the top four, in the sixth position and well out of the title race after falling 15 points behind league leaders Arsenal. However, they are still very much alive in the Champions League and the FA Cup, a trophy which they are out to defend. Klopp can still carve out a successful season with a trophy and the club is ready to invest more this month in new signings, but first plan to facilitate the sale of six players to collect funds.

Keita, Phillips, Kelleher transfer-listed by Liverpool alongside three more players

Whenever Liverpool plan a sale, Naby Keita is always on top of their transfer-list. The midfielder’s hefty €60m move from RB Leipzig back in 2018 hasn’t worked at all, with injuries restricting him to just 120 appearances, majority of which are cameos off the bench. With his contract expiring this summer, and the club having no intention of extending it, Keita could be cashed-in on by putting on the market this month than letting him leave for free at the end of the season.

Next up is centre-back Nathaniel Phillips who could bring in a significant chunk of money if sold this month, having being valued at €11m by the Reds. Although the youngster has been a promising talent at Anfield, bailing the club out of difficult times, Phillips never managed to crack the starting eleven over the likes of Van Dijk, Matip, Gomez and Konate. The defender has been on loan expedition on previous occasions with Bournemouth and Stuttgart and could find a buyer in them now.

Alisson’s deputy Caoimhin Kelleher could also leave, despite being dubbed as “the best No.2 goalie in the world” by Klopp. While he did put on some displays to justify the claims at some extent, but then why not be a starter somewhere else than warm the bench at Liverpool, or see-off their early rounds in cup competitions. Kelleher is currently 24, and is almost in his prime. Liverpool won’t mind letting him go if he fetches a good offer in this winter market.

Under-23’s midfielder Jake Cain is also one promising prospect, who is desperate to prove his worth. However, the left-footed versatile midfielder knows he cannot do it at Liverpool, and needs to find himself regular first-team minutes somewhere else. It was disappointing to see that after a successful loan spell with League Two side Newport County last season, Cain wasn’t sent on another one this season. As a result, it is being speculated that he could ask for a permanent move this month.

Billy Koumetio is another Liverpool academy talent who could find himself a new suitor this month, despite being in the middle of a loan spell with Austria Vienna. The centre-back was tipped for big things at Anfield after he made his first-team debut in 2020 which had left Klopp in his awe. But his career never took-off in that sense with Klopp’s team, and neither has it at Vienna. Koumetio is currently back at Liverpool while Vienna are on a long winter break, and is expected to terminate his stint there to find a permanent solution.

Liverpool have spent a combined €156m on the acquisition of Darwin Nunez and now Cody Gakpo and to their already heavy artillery of attacking options, and thus the door closes for academy striker Layton Stewart to become a regular first-team player. The 20-year-old almost joined Championship side Preston North End in the summer only for the move to collapse. However, despite his ongoing recovery from a muscle injury, Stewart could be ready to make a move this month with a number of Championship sides already showing interest in him