Liverpool

Phil Cartwright
BBC Sport journalist

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Manchester City at Anfield (kick-off 16:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On Jeremy Jacquet, who agreed a summer move to Liverpool earlier this week: "It's very pleasing. He's a very big talent and we weren't the only one interested in him, so another big compliment for the people working hard every day to sign players."

• Slot said it is "another example of the model we are using at this club", which is signing "young, very talented players" who "can improve us and help us in the short-term and definitely the long-term".

• On the recent good form of Florian Wirtz: "It's always credit to the player because he has to do the work, not only on the pitch but also in the gym. Then as a manager, even if he is maybe physically struggling a little bit at the start, you need to keep on playing him because that's the only way players can improve. He is an example of that, I have many of them this season."

• Slot added: "From the start he was special on the ball, maybe now he has a better connection with his team-mates because they've played more together. Off the ball, I see the biggest improvement with him and that combination makes you ready for the Premier League because it is about both."

• On facing Manchester City: "It's another moment to see where we are in the development of this team. That being said, we also know the importance of getting a result. It's the end phase of the season so results matter more and more."

• Slot continued: "They're a very good team who were able to win on Wednesday, against a team [Newcastle] we beat at the weekend, not even with their starters. That tells you, combined with the game we played against them, what a force City still is and always will be."

• Joe Gomez may be able to play some part in the game, although he is unlikely to start, while Jeremie Frimpong remains unavailable.

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Hear Slot's news conference in full

Listen to live commentary of Liverpool v Manchester City on BBC Radio 5 Live on Sunday from 16:30 GMT

Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool are interested in signing Sunderland's Dutch goalkeeper Robin Roefs, with the club expecting offers above £50m for the 23 year-old. (Football insider), external

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Liverpool boss Arne Slot says the club's sporting director Richard Hughes has a "low ego" and provides "ideal circumstances" to work in with his level of involvement.

Hughes was appointed before the start of the 2024-25 season, as Slot succeeded Jurgen Klopp as head coach, and oversaw the Reds' bumper 2025 summer transfer spend of £415m.

"We have spoken almost on a daily basis since we started, you get to know each other even better," Slot told an episode of 'The Reds Roundtable' published on the club's YouTube channel, external.

"What I really like about working for a sporting director is that whenever I need him, he is there for me. But you don't constantly feel that all the decisions you are making, he is judging them. Maybe he does but then he finds a really good way of hiding it!

"You want to have the backup when needed and advice, but you don't want two eyes on top of you constantly on every decision you make. I think Richard finds that balance really well for me to work in ideal circumstances.

"I've worked with sporting directors who are very keen on the ones they have signed and what makes Richard special is that he's not only focused on the ones he signed, he is there for Liverpool to win and not (just) for his signings to do well.

"That's something you don't always see with sporting directors. It's safe to say he has a low ego."

On finding the balance between advising, interjecting, and allowing the head coach to do his job, Hughes added: "Fundamentally, there's the understanding for both parties and everyone at wide, that everything involving matchday, team selection, tactics, that's always the manager or head coach.

"That's their domain. It's very important not to step into that.

"Of course we talk about football and performances but I always let Arne lead that. Naturally in a conversation I will come up with an opinion and not just react to Arne's, but always waiting for the right time to share these things is critical."

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

There has been a temptation to turn up at Anfield recently and think "who are you and what have you done with Liverpool?"

There have been dizzying falls from grace and collective uncertainty, which is all very unlike Liverpool. But maybe they were simply a team in transition.

Happily, for The Kop, the recent displays from middle to front suggest that this is merely a changing of the old guard after all and a change that will work.

Hugo Ekitike has been a revelation, Florian Wirtz the same as their understanding grows. The Premier League has little tradition for patience these days but Liverpool as a club have not panicked. It now looks clear that at the top, they knew what was going on all along and they are quickly becoming a joy to watch again.

Wirtz is showing that he is perfectly capable of being the main man and maybe even reaching the stellar levels of a player like Kevin de Bruyne. He is now regularly showing the imagination, that other-worldly vision in tight situations and the sublime creativity that leaves even top defenders looking elephantine.

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Liverpool could rival Manchester United and Real Madrid for the £80m signing of Crystal Palace and England midfielder Adam Wharton, 21, in the summer. (Mirror), external

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We asked for your views on the additions of young centre-backs that Liverpool have made in recent months.

Here are some of your comments:

James: I like the idea of Leoni and Jacquet developing a partnership together under the tutelage of Virgil. Might need a couple of years to play consistently together with possibly another experienced centre-back needed.

Andrew: The signings of Leoni and Jacquet are welcome, but also demonstrate a change of pace from the club. We have typically aimed for players between 20-25, with 100 appearances and are overperforming. Now, we have targeted under 20s, who are overperforming, but do not have a wealth of experience. It is a risk, especially considering the fees. But could be a successful way of rebuilding a defence for the long term.

Irene: Fully behind Slot. Potentially great signing of Jacquet. Needed a versatile defender in this window.

Ian: It's all well and good future-proofing but we needed proofing now to see the season out and finish in the top four.

Lee: Too early to say about next season, we do have some good young talents but it's now we need defenders.

Image source, Getty Images

Captain Virgil van Dijk says Liverpool have to "keep going" in spite of the criticism they have faced this season.

The Reds came from behind to beat Newcastle 4-1 on Saturday, securing the club's first Premier League win of 2026.

"The matter of fact is we are Premier League champions and we have not been good enough on a consistent basis - that's just a fact," Van Dijk said.

"The criticism comes and that's something we just have to accept. We just have to keep going.

"Saturday was a good performance and the same for midweek. Now it's down to us to work this week on Manchester City and do that again."

Speaking about the increase of commentary on social media, Van Dijk added: "If you're going to read all that stuff, one week you could be the hero and the next week the villain.

"I spoke last week about how worse and difficult it's getting every year. For the next generation it will be a very big challenge.

"Every era has its own challenges and that part of outside the game will be a big challenge for the next generation, and it's already a challenge for this generation."

Jordan Chamberlain
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool needed a centre-back now, but they have bought one for the summer instead.

Jeremy Jacquet for £55m plus add-ons is exciting. It is funny that a player can cost such a hefty sum nowadays without having earned a full cap for his country or played in the Champions League.

But the 20-year-old is highly rated, physically impressive and can pass out from the back, too.

If Gio Leoni can return for next season, the Reds will have two of the world's best young centre-backs learning from Virgil van Dijk. That can only be a good thing.

But Jacquet's signing does not fix the central defensive problems from now until the end of the season, and given it was obvious we would sign a player in this position in the summer, the delayed transfer is slightly frustrating.

Joe Gomez is incredibly injury prone, meaning Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are the only two senior centre-backs Arne Slot can use.

In addition, Conor Bradley is out for the season and Jeremie Frimpong is injured. The Dutchman has missed more than half of the Premier League games so far, meaning Gomez is needed more at right-back.

The options at Slot's disposal are very thin and another injury to a starter would see us completely threadbare. In that respect, it feels Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes are asking a lot of Slot to try to win the Champions League and get back in the competition via a top-five finish in the Premier League.

As a result, the excitement about Jacquet was quickly followed by a frustration he was not arriving now.

In the summer, Liverpool need a new winger, a holding midfielder and defensive recruitments. They spent a fortune in the summer of 2025 but the squad still needs bolstering.

Find more from Jordan Chamberlain at Empire of the Kop, external

Aadam Patel
Liverpool reporter

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In the past six months, Liverpool have signed five centre-backs aged 20 or under.

Giovanni Leoni, 19, arrived from Parma for £26m in the summer, while the Reds completed deals for Noah Adekoya, also 19, Senegalese 18-year-old Mor Talla Ndiaye and Austria youth international Ifeanyi Ndukwe, 17, in January.

Adekoya joined from Burnley, while both Ndiaye and Ndukwe impressed Liverpool scouts at the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar in November.

Ndiaye then completed a £1m move from Amitie - the club owned by former Chelsea and Newcastle striker Demba Ba - and has represented Senegal at youth level.

Ndukwe reached the final with Austria and will join Liverpool in the summer from Austria Vienna, with the fee potentially rising to £2.5m.

The sheer number of signings is an indication the Anfield club are future-proofing their central defensive options.

At first-team level, it is an area where change is inevitable - and no secret they tried and failed in their pursuit of a proven talent in Marc Guehi last summer.

Investing such a large sum on an unproven talent like Jeremy Jacquet may be deemed a risk, but Liverpool believe they have done their homework on him as they build a squad for the next generation.

The average age of their signings over the past two transfer windows is lower than than 22, although the club still believe that such a group of new players can bring high levels of quality and performance in the short, medium and long term.

So, how are you feeling about Liverpool's backline? Are you confident about the future with all the youngsters signed and the likely change to come?

Get in touch with your views here

Former England captain Steph Houghton says it is a "big surprise" Liverpool have not signed a defender in January to join the side immediately.

Jeremy Jaquet signed for Liverpool in a £60m deal on Monday but the centre-back will not be joining the club until the summer.

"The club I thought would go into the market for right now is Liverpool, just because of the injuries they have in the defensive unit," Houghton told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"It was a discussion even from the beginning of the season in terms of if Virgil van Dijk or Ibrahima Konate picked up an injury.

"Now, Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley are out on that right-hand side and Dominik Szoboszlai is playing at right-back.

"Liverpool have been inconsistent and want to challenge at the end of the season.

"It is a big surprise they have not bought anyone to come in now and just signed a defender for the summer."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

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Former Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside about the deal that will bring Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet to the club in the summer: "I think what fans will probably be saying is could they have got one for now. He's a young man and it's a big price tag for someone who hasn't played at international level. Hopefully this young guy can follow in Hugo Ekitike's footsteps.

"Chelsea were heavily linked with him. I think that's forced Liverpool's hand to move now rather than wait. It's a difficult situation clubs find themselves in.

"They obviously feel they have enough cover with Gomez, Konate coming back and Van Dijk. More often than not, Konate and Van Dijk are fit for nearly every game. So hopefully they can see us through to the end of the season.

"Fans love to see new players coming in. But we've spent over £400m last summer. So I wouldn't expect loads coming in over the summer. It all depends who leaves. If we go on and win the Champions League it may be a different prospect. But you can't just keep spending £400m every summer."

Watch the Radio Merseyside show here

French football journalist Julien Laurens on X: "I can't stress enough what a superb signing Jeremy Jacquet will be for Liverpool! He is a special talent and has everything to become one of the best defenders in the world. And he is Paris born and bred too which makes him even more special!"

Meanwhile supporter Chloe Bloxam from The Redmen TV spoke to BBC Sport about the Reds bidding to "futureproof" their squad with the likes of Jacquet coming in...

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We asked for your views on the £60m deal to sign Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet this summer.

Here are some of your comments:

Sean: A very exciting signing but a shame it couldn't happen in the January window. Rennes play a different game to Liverpool but Jacquet is as good mentally as Van Dijk from what I've seen. Great on the ball. Will need bulking up for the Premier League - he's a little too nimble for a Premier League centre-back at present.

Baz: Lot of money for a young player in his breakout year, when we could have had a proven, English, Premier League defender for £20m. Ligue 1 not the most challenging league so it will be interesting to see if he can live up to his potential in the Premier League.

Peter: Good business. Showing great promise as a youngster and likely to be a good long-term prospect partnering with Giovanni Leoni. Smart to avoid even more bidding competition in summer transfer window.

David: £60m!! Hope he's worth it. Guehi was £20m and Premier League proven - explain it to me.

Lee: That's great news, but we need defenders now.

Shane: OK, it's an investment, but we need a centre-back right now. Guehi was that man but the backroom team fell asleep.

Nigel: I don't understand why Liverpool didn't try to sign Guehi. Sure, a bidding war with Manchester City might have ensued to inflate the price, but we would have secured a tried and tested Premier League defender in January at a price much lower than Jacquet.

Liverpool have done the following business on deadline day:

• Liverpool have confirmed an agreement has been reached with French side Rennes for defender Jeremy Jacquet, with the 20-year-old set to join the club in a £60m deal in the summer.

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Watch Total Sport's transfer deadline day special focusing on the business done by Merseyside's clubs, including Everton and Liverpool.

The show, which runs from 18:00-20:00 GMT, will offer the latest updates and analysis, with guests including former Blues centre-back Alan Stubbs and ex-Reds defender Gary Gillespie.

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Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist

Liverpool have secured a key pillar as they look to build formidable defensive foundations for the future. Jeremy Jacquet has agreed to join the Reds from Rennes in a £60m transfer on deadline day.

The 20-year-old Frenchman will have to wait for his Liverpool debut though, as he will not join up with his new club until the summer. He is a key player for the Ligue 1 side already, making 18 top-flight appearances this season.

That Liverpool are prepared to wait for the player says a lot, especially given the defensive issues they've endured this season. For the defending Premier League champions, who have conceded 33 goals from their 24 games, this is a transfer with the long-term in mind.

Reds continue to spend big

Nevertheless, there will be pressure on Jacquet.

Even by Liverpool's recent spending standards - they splashed out about £450m on new recruits in the summer transfer window - the deal is a pricey one.

At £60m, Jacquet's fee doesn't quite top the world-record for a centre-back - still Harry Maguire to Manchester United for £80m - but it is among the highest paid for players of a comparable age.

In 2023, Manchester City signed then 21-year-old Josko Gvardiol for £77m, which remains the highest fee for a centre-back aged 21 or younger. Wesley Fofana's transfer to Chelsea in 2022 at the same age (£70m) and Matthijs de Ligt's move to Juventus in 2019 when he was 19 (£67.5m) are the only others in that category to cost more than Jacquet.

So there will be expectation. But two of the other biggest transfers from Ligue 1 to the Premier League in recent years could serve as cautionary tales.

Leny Yoro (£52m) and Abdukodir Khusanov (£34m) have found their respective early stints at Manchester United and Manchester City tough.

Frenchman is a force in the air

That's not to say that Jacquet doesn't have the attributes to thrive in the Premier League. The centre-back's physical qualities and natural defensive instincts are what have made him so appealing to Liverpool.

His strength in the air has been a standout this season, winning 75.51% of his aerial duels. That is the highest among all defenders in Ligue 1 in 2025–26, with only his former attacking team-mate Mohamed Meite successful in a greater proportion.

In the French top flight, Jacquet ranks third in overall duel success rate at 67.23% and joint-seventh for blocks, with 15 this season.

Given his age and the unforgiving nature of his position, it's no surprise that there have been some mistakes. Jacquet has made three errors leading to shots, with only seven players in the French top flight making more.

Beyond the numbers, Liverpool will be encouraged by the personality already shown by such a young player.

He has captained France at under-16, under-18, under-19 and under-20 level. Even in his previous outing for Rennes - a disappointing 4–0 loss to Monaco - he showed fight in his performance and at full-time, when he confronted a member of the opposition staff.

No Jacquet required… for now

Liverpool were keen to start their centre-back evolution in the summer. But the process stalled.

The Reds wanted Marc Guehi, but a deal could not be completed before the summer window closed.

Giovanni Leoni also arrived from Parma, only for the Italy youth international defender to suffer an anterior cruciate ligament injury. It ended his season before it started.

Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté's previously dominant partnership has begun to creak this season too. The former has been imperious for the Reds and, while he is tied down for at least another season, he's now 34 and will not go on forever. Konate, meanwhile, is slowly battling back to form after a torrid start to the campaign and is out of contract in the summer.

French football expert Julien Laurens believes Jacquet "has everything to become one of the best defenders in the world", external. With some huge shoes to potentially fill this summer, Liverpool will hope he's worth the wait.

Aadam Patel
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool are spending a lot of money for a player who has played just 36 times in Ligue 1, but they see Jeremy Jacquet as a massive long-term investment.

To get a sense of how highly Jacquet is rated, Liverpool have fought off competition from Chelsea and Bayern Munich, while Arsenal showed interest in the defender last summer.

Liverpool could definitely have done with the centre-back joining now, but the fact is he wasn't available to move in January, with Rennes unwilling to sanction a transfer until the summer.

The Frenchman is comfortable on the ball and can play in a back three or a back four, while Liverpool are impressed with his senior experience in Ligue 1. He is expected to fit a possession-based system. while his aerial ability and defensive reading skills are all noted too.

Of course, there is plenty of room to still improve, but this is a move that again shows Liverpool's succession planning for their backline. Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni all joined in the summer, while they have made a number of youth signings in this window too.

Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez's contracts expire in the summer of 2027, and it remains to be seen if Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson will still be at the club next season. As it stands, both are out of contract this summer.

Hope he's worth £60m... but we need a centre-back right now! Fan views on Jacquet move

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Harvey Elliott is expected to stay on loan at Aston Villa.

The Liverpool loanee's future has been in doubt since Villa boss Unai Emery decided he did not want to make his move from Anfield permanent.

Elliott is now three appearances away from triggering a transfer worth £35m after initially joining on loan in the summer.

The attacker had been sidelined by Emery - although he has remained training with the first team - with the manager saying Villa decided in October not to buy the 21-year-old.

Yet after an injury crisis at Villa with Boubacar Kamara out for the season and John McGinn and Youri Tielemans out for months, Elliott has featured in Villa's last two games - having not played since 2 October.

He played the entire match in Villa's Europa League win over Red Bull Salzburg last week and was a second-half substitute in Sunday's 1-0 home defeat by Brentford.

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Hugo Ekitike's form gives Liverpool a dilemma when Alexander Isak returns from injury, says former Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney.

Ekitike scored twice as Liverpool came from behind to beat Newcastle at Anfield on Saturday, taking his tally to 15 goals from 32 games this season.

The France striker has struck up a fruitful relationship with Florian Wirtz, and Rooney said their blossoming partnership leaves questions over where Isak fits in when he returns from his broken leg.

"I'd be more worried if I was Isak, sitting there watching," Rooney said on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show.

"His Liverpool career just hasn't got up and going yet. Obviously, they paid a lot of money for him and these two [Wirtz and Ekitike] seem to have a really good understanding of each other's game- they look like a real threat.

"Ekitike's second goal in particular was brilliant. It reminds me of Romario - a little toe-poke goal but it's instinctive.

"He is the type of player I like to watch. He's not a number nine, he's not a number 10. He drifts out wide, he gets on the ball, brings players into the game and he can score goals. So he's got a bit of everything."

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

Aadam Patel
Liverpool reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet is set to have a medical at Liverpool before finalising a potential £60m move to Anfield - but the centre-half will not be joining the club in the current transfer window.

If the transfer is completed, the 20-year-old will switch to the Reds in the summer, after the clubs reached agreement on a £55m fee, plus £5m in add-ons.

The France Under-21 international would sign a five-and-a-half-year deal until the summer of 2031, with the option of a further year.

Chelsea are known to have held talks with Jacquet during the winter window, but it is understood they will not match Liverpool's bid.

Liverpool are looking to bolster their centre-back options, with Ibrahima Konate's contract set to expire at the end of this season.

Arne Slot's side missed out on Marc Guehi last summer, with the England centre-half then opting to join Manchester City in January.

Jacquet came through the Rennes academy and has played for the club 18 times this season, with a string of standout performances making him a target for some of Europe's elite sides - and Liverpool see him as a long-term investment.

What do you make of this deal? Good business or were there better options? And what about having to wait until the summer to get Jacquet in?

Get in touch with your views here

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool are expected to complete the signing of Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet on Monday in a deal worth £60m, but that move is for the summer.

Jacquet's expected arrival will mean Liverpool have signed four young centre-backs during this window, with Ifeanyi Ndukwe, Mor Talla Ndiaye and Noah Adekoya all beginning at Liverpool with the under-21s.

As it stands, no other incomings or outgoings are expected. Names like Andy Robertson and Curtis Jones have been linked with a move away during the window but letting any player go isn't on Liverpool's agenda.

The Reds have an injury crisis, with Alexander Isak, Giovanni Leoni, Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong all currently sidelined.

As Arne Slot said on Saturday: "In this moment of time, but we prefer to strengthen the squad, not weaken it."

The other question is Harvey Elliott and whether he will remain on loan at Aston Villa after Unai Emery publicly revealed the West Midlands club do not want to sign the 22-year-old permanently in the summer.

Elliott has featured in Villa's past two games and has made five Premier League appearances in total for Emery. If he plays 10 league matches, then Villa have an obligation to buy him for £35m.

Liverpool do not have a recall clause on Elliott so it remains to be seen whether he will stay at Villa Park.

We asked you what still needs to happen before the transfer window closes at 19:00 GMT on Monday.

Here are some of your comments:

Jack: The obvious answer is a defender. There were rumours of Lutsharel Geertruida, who is a solid option. But we have to get another right-back - I know we already have two plus Calvin Ramsey but if Arne Slot is going to continue not to trust him then he needs to buy a better option rather than throw Dominik Szoboszlai there. Other than that, I think we're covered for every other position.

Jamie: Definitely a centre-back as the defence is almost in tatters with injuries and contracts running out.

Tommy: Two central defenders are an absolute must - forget forwards. Andy Robertson must be offered a year's extension and a promise of a coaching job.

Mike: This window is impacted by the huge outlay in the summer. However, given our defensive injury crisis, it's crazy we haven't invested in a trusted defender. Someone like Dunk or Bueno would be a good fit and know the league. Not getting Guehi was a massive failure by the management.

Ritchard: Apart from building a time machine so we don't mess up the Guehi deal, I'd like us to recognise we already have some fantastic players in the youth teams and, instead of splashing the cash, we need to give the kids a chance.

Kixy: The lack of depth in squad was made apparent by Slot not making a sub until after 80th minute against Newcastle. We need a right full-back, at least one centre-back - if not two - and a midfielder in case Florian Wirtz gets injured. Although panic buying before the deadline is not the right way of doing things, we should have sorted this earlier in the window.

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