02 February 2024 , 05:00
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Like most Premier League clubs, Liverpool had a quiet January transfer window, choosing to opt out and ready themselves for the summer.
The news of Jurgen Klopp ’s departure – and that of his staff and sporting director Jorg Schmadtke – dominated the headlines during the month of January. It also coloured the outlook on the transfer front, pushing back the focus to the summer, when Klopp’s successor will have a say on new arrivals.
The fact that Liverpool are at the top of the Premier League table and still in all four competitions is also relevant. There was little need to bolster Klopp’s squad, especially since Andy Robertson returned from injury.
Liverpool therefore decided to shuffle their pack of loanees, moving them from one club to another. Nat Phillips was recalled from Celtic before being sent to Cardiff; Fabio Carvalho came back from RB Leipzig to go to Hull; Calvin Ramsey returned from Preston to move to Bolton; James Balagizi came back from Wigan and was sent to Kilmarnock.
And, despite the general happiness with things, there was some movement on deadline day involving Liverpool. In keeping with the theme above, Billy Koumetio moved to Blackburn on deadline day having been recalled from USL Dunkerque earlier in the window.
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Meanwhile, Rhys Williams saw his loan to Port Vale cancelled just two weeks after arriving due to an injury. The young defender will now undergo rehabilitation at the AXA Training Centre.
There could have been a transfer on the cards on deadline day, had Liverpool been willing to play ball. But Nottingham Forest ’s offer of £15million for Caoimhin Kelleher did not come close to Liverpool’s valuation of their back-up goalkeeper, while interest in Bobby Clark was batted away.
Liverpool rejected an offer from Nottingham Forest for Caoimhin Kelleher (Jon Super/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Kelleher remains stuck behind Alisson Becker in the pecking order, but he has proven himself to be an able replacement. The 25-year-old keeper has only made 33 appearances for the first team – but 12 of those have come so far this season, with Klopp playing him in the Europa League and Carabao Cup.
Klopp was full of praise for Kelleher after he played in the Carabao Cup semi-final win over Fulham recently. "Caoimhin is a top, top, top, top goalie,” he said. “When Ali is fit, then he doesn't have a lot of games. So, when I want to give him desperately the opportunity to play – because it's important for development – then he's on top of that. He's always there, giving absolutely everything... but, either way, it's the same.” He is under contract until June 2026 and isn’t going anywhere yet.
Liverpool deals done in January:
Fabio Carvalho – Hull City, loan
Rhys Williams – Port Vale, loan (since returned)
Nat Phillips – Cardiff City, loan
Calvin Ramsay – Bolton, loan
Owen Beck – Dundee, loan
James Balagizi – Kilmarnock, loan
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Billy Koumetio – Blackburn Rovers, loan