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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Tashan Deniran-Alleyne

Liverpool: Arne Slot delivers stance on January transfers amid Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo links

Arne Slot has discussed Liverpool’s January transfer window plans - (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said the January transfer window is not a priority at the moment.

The Reds spent heavily in the summer, smashing the British record twice to sign Florian Wirtz and then Alexander Isak on Deadline Day.

However, following a disappointing start to the defence of their Premier League crown, Slot is being tipped to bolster his squad even further once the transfer window reopens.

Among the players linked with moves to Anfield are Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo and Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.

The former is reported to have a £65million release clause in his contract which becomes active in January, while the latter will become a free agent at the end of the season.

Slot was asked about Liverpool’s plans for the winter transfer window in the pre-Nottingham Forest press conference on Friday and appeared to play down the need to sign a central defender

"This is one of the questions I didn't expect. There are so many games before that,” the Dutchman told reporters.

"In the position that we are in, it's the last thing on my mind. Maybe not for Richard [Hughes, sporting director] but it's not a topic at all for me at the moment.

"We have three centre-backs, maybe Ryan [Gravenberch] and Wata [Endo] as well. Maybe you are not aware of it yet, but we have other positions that are maybe more of an issue."

Marc Guehi came close to joining Liverpool in the summer (Getty Images)

With Conor Bradley ruled out of Saturday’s clash against Nottingham Forest, thus joining Jeremie Frimpong on the sidelines, it means Liverpool will have just five senior defenders available for the foreseeable future.

"I just told you about Conor and Florian, Jeremie [Frimpong] is already out, Giovanni Leoni as well, so at the moment we have five natural defenders available for seven games in 21 days and I don't see anyone coming back before that,” Slot added.

"We knew it was hard when you bring players in a little bit later, it's harder to keep them fit and there is more emphasis on the ones who are fit."

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