Reds have ‘made contact’ for Botman & trio return to training – Liverpool FC Roundup

December 23, 2020
This Is Anfield

Liverpool are next in action on December 27 – and this is our final Reds news round-up until Boxing Day. Have a great Christmas!

Sven Botman on Reds’ radar for January

Yesterday there were rumours over Liverpool’s apparent interest in Sven Botman – the Lille centre-back who joined in the summer from Ajax.

He has since flourished, a tall and consistent performer who has proven as adapt at making clearances as he has playing out from the back.

Today, those rumours have been expanded – with GFFN citing local contacts backing up the interest and saying the Reds have “made contact” with Lille or his representatives over a potential move.

Those discussions haven’t progressed past that point, they say, but while Liverpool were considering a more hefty investment earlier in the year after injuries to Gomez and Van Dijk, he might now be available for €30 million due to Lille’s financial mess.

He usually plays left side of the centre, is 20 years old, is left-footed and is a Dutch U21 international.

Trio back in team training ahead of WBA game

The squad is beefing up nicely again as we head into the new year!

After a really tough run of games not being to rotate, being down to the bare bones and seeing plenty of kids get (and take!) their chance, a few more established names are back out in training with Jurgen Klopp and the rest of the squad.

Thiago Alcantara, Xherdan Shaqiri and James Milner were all back in team training on Wednesday, after Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have also been back for the past couple of games.

There are still a few to go – Tsimikas, Jota, then the two long-term defenders – but it’s a vastly improved situation as we head into another batch of matches close together.

At least one or two of the new faces could return to the bench against the Baggies, since we’re now allowed to name nine subs in the league.

Senior moments

Some very different words and topics from three of our top senior names!

Our skipper marks 10 years at the club next summer and he has looked back on the challenges he overcame – and forward to more success ahead
Van Dijk has been praised by one of the very finest in the history of world football in his own position
And Andy Robertson is on Tik-Tok and it’s every bit as incredible as you’d expect!

Quickfire LFC news

Sporting left-back Nuno Mendes has been widely linked with the Reds for a year, but has now signed a new deal with a release clause of around £60m (Mirror)

Another Academy youngster is incoming before the rules change – 16-year-old Celta Vigo centre-back Stefan Bajcetic is on the way in the coming days or hours after the Reds beat United to sign him (Voz de Galicia)

Ozan Kabak’s agent has said there’s no contract agreement with any club at this stage, with the Reds and Milan heavily linked (SW)

And Loris Karius has finally made his debut for Union Berlin but there are questions over whether he will stay beyond January (TIA)

Around the Prem

Bayer Leverkusen are the latest team to be linked with taking Man United left-back Brandon Williams on loan; from the youngster’s perspective that’s at least more of an appeal than playing in Newcastle‘s 5-5-0 system (Sky)

Big Sam Allardyce is back and already making friends, saying Arsenal are a “relegation rival” – the two clubs face each other a couple of games from now (BBC)

Kieran Trippier is banned from all football for 10 weeks after breaching Betting Rules, meaning he’ll sit out 12 games from this point (BBC)

And Carlo Ancelotti says Dominic Calvert-Lewin shares certain traits with Cristiano Ronaldo. We assume it’s habit the poaching of goals from two yards out and celebrating as though he’s rocketed one in top bins from 40 (TS)

Stupid rumour of the day

Arsenal‘s latest plan to solve their inability to do…well, anything at all, is to sign Christian Eriksen.

Yes, a team who don’t play with a No. 10 are going to attempt to land a washed-up, hasn’t-been-a-regular-starter-for-two-years, used-to-play-for-your-rivals, overpaid playmaker for a role they don’t even have in their team.

Actually, that does sound like something they would do…

Tweet of the day

Jesse Lingard turned 28 last week, meaning he’s the same age as Mo Salah and Sadio Mane.

But he’ll forever be seen as a 21-year-old with real potential, just like 31-year-old Theo Walcott.

— Henry Jackson (@HenryJackson87) December 23, 2020