4 Liverpool players who can decide the club’s January transfer plans

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Liverpool will spend the next month deciding their January transfer plans. Here are four players who could alter them this month, however.

January promises to be a decisive month for Liverpool and they’ll need their transfer plans in order. But December could alter them drastically, should certain players perform or not.

So here are four players who we believe could change their plans.

Caoimhin Kelleher

We wouldn’t have had him on the list a week ago but Kelleher is in a completely different position now.

Alisson is injured for the second time this season and that, naturally, will have Liverpool looking at their backup. Adrian didn’t play well when he got his chance – again, that’ll have the Reds seeing what’s available.

But Jurgen Klopp has handed Kelleher a chance. He played well against Ajax, too, and suddenly he looks like a promising second-choice goalkeeper.

If Kelleher performs over the next few games, there’s no chance Liverpool sign anyone new this winter.

Curtis Jones

There are a few things at play here. For one, Liverpool are short in midfield as Fabinho is playing in defence. On top of that, an injury crisis has left the team without Thiago, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson, and James Milner at times this season.

And another thing – Gini Wijnaldum enters the last six months of his deal in January. Liverpool will have to consider replacements and may want one in early.

But whether Liverpool actually need a senior player at all – let alone in January – depends on Jones. The Scouser is playing above expectations this season and looks like a first-team regular.

If he keeps that up, Liverpool will promote Jones to a regular role, rather than bring in anyone significant.

Nat Phillips

We’ve been impressed with Phillips. He’s only played a couple of games but his latest, against Brighton, was excellent. For a player who isn’t even on the Champions League squad list, Phillips looks like a real option for now.

Liverpool’s injury crisis, though, will have them looking at transfer options in January. But Phillips could change that with some good performances and encourage the club to wait for an easier summer market.

He just needs to keep doing what he’s doing and prove that Klopp can rely on him. Do that and Phillips has a spot in the squad until at least May.

Fabinho

No matter what Phillips does, Fabinho will ultimately decide whether Liverpool sign a defender. He’s got to perform.

If he goes through a bad patch or makes the Reds worry about him as an option for a title-challenge, they’ll sign someone. There’s too much riding on him playing well.

Fabinho has been great so far, of course, but with a relatively small sample size. So while Liverpool likely won’t consider going big in January just yet, a run of bad displays could change that quickly.

There’s a lot riding on Fabinho, then. Liverpool will want him playing well enough to mount a title-challenge and if he can’t, the club will surely spend millions to make it happen.