A reporter has outlined whether or not Liverpool will make a renewed attempt to sign a Chelsea player in January, and the star would solve the biggest issue ailing the club right now.
Transfer windows are supposed to give clubs an opportunity to solve problems. However, the narrative around Liverpool right now is there’s no shortage of glaring issues owners FSG have failed to address.
The lack of a top quality defensive midfielder is a concern, as is the form of both full-backs, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong.
With Conor Bradley still recuperating from a serious knee injury, Frimpong remains Liverpool’s only senior recognised right-back available to select.
Joe Gomez and Ronald Araujo can deputise in the position, as can midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai. However, the need to play players out of position is something that should be removed while the window is open.
On deadline day of the window just gone, trusted French reporter, Fabrice Hawkins, revealed Liverpool made a late move to sign Chelsea right-back, Malo Gusto.
Hawkins explained: ‘Liverpool made a final push today to sign Malo Gusto on loan, but the attempt ended without success.
‘The Reds were only willing to consider a loan with no mandatory buy clause, while Chelsea were pushing for a permanent transfer.
‘Liverpool simply don’t have the financial means to make a permanent deal happen.’
As mentioned, Chelsea wanted permanence attached to any exit for 23-year-old Gusto, and given the Blues value the defender at a hefty £75m, the Reds took a pass rather than make a reckless decision while time was running out.
A move could be reignited in January, by which time Liverpool will have had months to weigh up whether £75m represents a sound investment for the France international.
Liverpool reach decision on signing Malo Gusto in January
But according to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Liverpool have no intention of paying that sky high price, meaning there’ll be no switch to Anfield at the turn of the year either.
O’Rourke stated: “I think it was more a late query to see if there’s any chance of Chelsea allowing Gusto to leave, but I think Liverpool were looking to do a loan deal with maybe an option to buy.
“Chelsea’s preference was a permanent sale, whether that be a fee on deadline day or maybe a loan with a mandatory purchase clause in there.
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“That’s something Liverpool weren’t willing to do and obviously Chelsea then were happy to keep Malo Gusto.
“Chelsea’s price tag was quite prohibitive for not just Liverpool, but also there was talk of Manchester City being interested early in the window, and they weren’t going to get anywhere near that £75million valuation that Chelsea had on Gusto’s head, so I can’t see anybody willing to pay that in January either.”