Reasons Behind the Lack of Logic in Liverpool’s January Transfer Window

When exceptionally intelligent individuals engage in actions that seem illogical, one might consider three potential explanations:

a.) They possess such superior intellect that their brilliance is beyond your comprehension, as they are strategizing in a complex manner while you are operating on a simpler level

b.) Their intelligence may not be as significant as perceived
c.) There may be undisclosed factors influencing their decisions

Observing Liverpool’s activities — or lack thereof — during the January transfer window, which concluded on Monday, raises the question of which explanation applies here. I hope it is option c.) and that clarity will emerge eventually, as option b.) would imply that Michael Edwards’s acumen has been greatly overstated, including by myself, while option a.) would suggest I am mistaken — a possibility, certainly, but not one I wish to entertain.

Nonetheless, one undeniable truth heading into the January window was that Liverpool required the addition of one or more defenders. If you wish to contest this, I will take the next few paragraphs to persuade you. Should I fail, feel free to cease reading and return to scrolling TikTok.

– January transfer winners and losers: Man City on top
– Desperation rankings: Which Premier League teams made panic moves?
– Men’s transfer grades: Every major January move, rated

It is evident that Liverpool recognized the necessity for another defender — preferably a center back — as they attempted to acquire Marc Guéhi from Crystal Palace on Deadline Day for approximately £35 million ($47m), a deal that fell through while Guehi was reportedly undergoing an MRI. This occurred in August.

Shortly thereafter, Giovanni Leoni, the young central defender they had secured from Parma earlier in the window, sustained a cruciate injury that would sideline him for the remainder of the season. Consequently, they were down TWO defenders.

Then, on Jan. 8, 2026, another defender, Conor Bradley, had his season cut short due to a knee injury. Now they were down THREE defenders.

Moreover, among the defenders they currently have, one is 34 years old (Virgil van Dijk), two others are set to become free agents in June (Andy Robertson, Ibrahima Konaté), and two more are effectively wingbacks (Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who is also sidelined with his third hamstring injury of the season). Additionally, Joe Gomez has experienced three separate injury spells this season, missing nearly two months due to various issues: Achilles, hamstring, and hip.

To be fair, they do list two additional defenders on their website. One is Rhys Williams, who spent last season on loan at Morecambe in the fourth tier and has not played first team football for Liverpool in four-and-a-half years. The other is Calvin Ramsay, once a highly regarded right back who has faced a series of severe injuries and, at 22, has made only five league starts in the past three-and-a-half years, all while on loan.

It is not necessary to have two or three players deep at every position as Arsenal does. However, conventional wisdom suggests that some form of backup is essential in case starters are injured or their performance declines due to fatigue. Liverpool has participated in 80 Champions League and Premier League matches over the last 18 months. Van Dijk has started 78 of those and has never been substituted. He will turn 35 in July. Are these risks justifiable?

All of this renders Liverpool’s inaction perplexing. While they did sign one of the more promising young central defenders available — 20-year-old Jérémy Jacquet from Rennes — he will not be joining the squad until next season. What about the current season?

– Scouting report: What Jacquet will bring to Liverpool this summer

There is a perspective that suggests that having invested significantly last summer, funds were limited in January, and the owners, Fenway Sports Group, maintain a strict budget. Perhaps. However, if a depleted defensive lineup results in missing out on next season’s Champions League, that could mean a loss of over €80m in potential revenue. (As of now, Liverpool sits in sixth place and would miss out, by the way.) Additionally, if it leads to an early exit from this year’s Champions League in the Round of 16 instead of progressing to the quarterfinals, that could mean another €30m lost. (Add those figures together, and you could afford two Jacquets.)

Furthermore, it is not essential to find the next Jamie Carragher in January, which is both challenging and costly. You simply need a player who can contribute minutes and meet a minimum standard on the field.

play0:57Why are Liverpool signing Jérémy Jacquet ahead of next season?

Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens discuss Liverpool’s decision to secure the defender Jérémy Jacquet ahead of next season.

The last time Liverpool faced a defensive crisis, in 2020-21, they brought in Nat Phillips, who unexpectedly became a regular for half the season. They finished third in the league, and he started both Champions League quarterfinal matches against Real Madrid. Are we to genuinely believe they could not find someone, even on loan? Did they even consider that? Either a promising younger player to provide exposure at a club like Liverpool, or a veteran whose wages they might want to offload? Consider the financial conditions of clubs across Europe (and in the Premier League). Is there truly no one available?

The strange aspect of all this is that they had ample time. October, November, December — that is three months to devise a strategy and bring someone in when the window opened. Liverpool won only one of six league matches in January. Could one new addition have made a difference?

Liverpool’s inactivity in January (Jacquet aside) resulted from one of two scenarios. Either they attempted — and failed — to recruit someone to bolster depth and serve as an insurance policy, indicating an issue with execution. Or they simply determined that their defensive options were sufficiently strong — to be fair, they do have the second-best xG conceded figures in the Premier League, following Arsenal — and durable enough that an insurance option was unnecessary, in which case it was a deliberate choice.

If it is the latter, it is highly counterintuitive and contradicts conventional wisdom. But then again: trust the process, right?