With less than a month to go before the January transfer window opens, the rumour mill has hit hyperdrive when it comes to the Premier League—and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have, unsurprisingly, been linked with a host of targets in recent weeks, to varying degrees of feasibility.

This is despite Klopp’s squad hitting top form as we head into December, with the German making the most of the resources at his disposal as well as looking to benefit from the returns of long-term absentees Daniel Sturridge and Jordan Henderson.

The 48-year-old’s group look in good shape ahead of a busy festive schedule, just months after his predecessor, Brendan Rodgers, uttered the immortal “if you give me the tools, I’ll do the work.”

“I think I have shown in the early stages of my management—without being arrogant—that with a talented group of players I can compete at the top end of the league,” Rodgers told the Guardian‘s Richard Jolly at the end of September. “I know how to manage top players.”

Klopp has proven the benefits of appointing a top-level manager, having coaxed form out of even the weakest of Rodgers’ former charges, with Dejan Lovren serving as a prime example of his man management.

Nevertheless, Klopp will no doubt be looking to the January transfer window to strengthen his fledgling side.

Here we discuss three recent Liverpool transfer rumours and make a judgement on their credibility, starting off with the possibility of a Dortmund reunion at Anfield.

 

Neven Subotic to Boost Klopp’s Defence

After clarifying at the end of November that he was free to target Dortmund players after making the switch from the north of the Rhine to the shore of the Mersey this season, Klopp is said to be interested in BVB centre-back Neven Subotic.

“I have no agreement with Borussia Dortmund,” Klopp said, as relayed by Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo. “I heard about an agreement, but no. Yet in my opinion it only makes sense to go for players we think we can get.”

While Dortmund hold a clutch of desirable yet unreachable talents in the likes of Mats Hummels, Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, one player that represents a realistic target for the Reds is Subotic.

Writing for the Independent, Simon Hughes suggested that while Klopp would be interested in signing Hummels as he looks to add to his defensive ranks this January, his Serbian colleague is a more likely arrival.

Hughes claimed that Subotic would be available for “less than £15 million,” and with the 26-year-old marginalised under Klopp’s replacement, Thomas Tuchel, this season, the possibility of a move is high.

This is reinforced by German publication Bild (h/t the Express), who have suggested that Subotic is looking for a move away from Dortmund in January in search of first-team football; he has made just one appearance in the Bundesliga so far this season.

His peripheral role could be a cause for concern for Liverpool supporters, however, as while Liverpool require cover at the heart of defence, Subotic is not necessarily an upgrade on Klopp’s current first choice for the right side, Martin Skrtel.

But as a player with close ties to Klopp and a useful option as cover for Skrtel, likely available for a low price this January, Subotic would make a stable stopgap to flesh out Liverpool’s relatively thin defensive ranks.

Verdict: True

 

Liverpool to Revive Interest in Martin Montoya

While adding a centre-back to his squad this January would be a sensible move by Klopp, adding cover at both left- and right-back should be made an absolute priority.

With Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno his only established, senior options for the flanks of his back four, and Connor Randall and Brad Smith lacking the experience to offer consistent cover at this stage, signing able deputies for the first-team duo is imperative.

Perhaps ideally, this would be one player capable of covering either side.

A player who ticks all the boxes for Liverpool on paper is Inter Milan‘s on-loan Barcelona defender Martin Montoya—a long-rumoured target for the Reds, predating Klopp’s appointment—and with the Spaniard struggling to make his mark on Serie A since joining the San Siro side this summer, he has been linked once again with a move to Merseyside, with Aaron Flanagan of the Mirror citing Italian publication Corriere dello Sport.

“The Reds were thought to be interested in Montoya over the summer but the 24-year-old opted for a move to Italy on a temporary basis,” Flanagan relayed.

“But Montoya’s spell at Inter is set to be cut short next month meaning that he will be looking for another loan club where he can see out of the rest of the season. It is thought he would like to stay in La Liga this time around, but could be open to a Premier League switch.”

Like Subotic, Montoya’s lack of game time should be a red flag for Klopp as he assesses his targets ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

Though able to operate comfortably in a number of positions across the defensive line, Montoya is yet to make his Serie A debut—more than three months into the campaign—and though this is a bizarre reality, it should be an alarming one for Klopp.

Furthermore, as Flanagan suggests that Montoya “would like to stay in La Liga,” mark this one as false; a classic case of 2+2=5.

Verdict: False

 

Alberto Moreno to Join Real Madrid

As adding to his full-back ranks is likely a priority for Klopp in January, the prospect of Alberto Moreno departing would be catastrophic—but according to the left-back’s agent, a move to Real Madrid would make him “happy.”

“If Real Madrid were to make an offer that would make him really happy,” Javier Moya told Spanish radio station Radio 4G (h/t ESPNFC.co.uk).

“But Liverpool would have to take the first step. If a team as important as Real Madrid were to speak with us and Liverpool were satisfied with the operation, we would talk.”

This follows on from reports in Spanish publication Marca, who claimed that Madrid manager Rafa Benitez had made Moreno a primary target following another injury to first-choice left-back Marcelo.

Moreno is said to have joined VfL Wolfsburg‘s Ricardo Rodriguez, Lyon’s Samuel Umititi and Ludogorets defender Natanael on a four-man shortlist.

Liverpool are even rumoured to already be in line for a replacement, with talkSPORT citing French outlet Mercato 365 in reporting that the Reds “are lining up Lorient defender Raphael Guerreiro” in the event of Moreno’s departure.

Some might say Moya would not be a good agent if he did not tout his client around to other clubs in the search of a better deal, and as Moreno took to the club’s official website to express his commitment to Liverpool, the likelihood of a move to the Santiago Bernabeu rapidly diminished:

We just like to play matches, as many matches as we can, and at the moment I’m managing to do that.

The manager has been putting his faith in me and I’ve being doing pretty well. I think that’s the dynamic that I need to continue with.

Keep playing well, keep winning games, continue to put a good run of games together and importantly, keep entertaining the fans.

I don’t think that at any point in my professional career have I had such a long run of consecutive games, and I can tell you that I’m enjoying it.

It’s nice to know that I’m in good form and feeling ‘fit’ like you say over here! I’m happy too, happy with myself and happy with the team.

Encouragingly for Liverpool supporters, the 23-year-old seems content with life under Klopp at Anfield.

Verdict: False

 

Statistics via WhoScored.com.

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