The 26-year-old would've added much-needed dynamism to Liverpool's play in the final third, but the Reds boss wants fans to trust the club's decisions in the market
Jurgen Klopp has previously stated he is “not the biggest friend” of the January transfer market, and Liverpool’s failure to land priority target Alex Teixeira before the close of the winter window would have done little to alter that sentiment.
The Brazilian, who has netted 22 league goals in just 15 games, would’ve strengthened and energised the club’s attack which has been blighted by injury and in need of inspiration. Liverpool do not lack effort, but they can do with more artistry, especially in the final third.
Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke, the latter a stylistic mismatch for Klopp’s heavy metal approach, have been the only options up front in a packed fixture schedule, which sees the Reds still involved in four competitions.
While the 26-year-old and the Merseysiders were keen to quickly tie up a deal, Shakhtar Donetsk’s valuation of Teixeira publicly rose from £38 million to £53 million in just three days. Their stance was amended too: from being willing to negotiate and encouraging the idea of a sale, they were no longer interested in doing business until the summer.
Liverpool were well aware discussions would prove difficult given their previous unsuccessful negotiations with Ukrainian clubs. The collapsed pursuit of Teixeira can be filed in the same folder as Henrikh Mkhitaryan in 2013 and Yevhen Konoplyanka in January 2014. 12 days ago, the Reds tabled an opening bid in the region of £24 million with £3m in add ons for the man who twice scored against Real Madrid in the Champions League this season, and did not submit a further formal offer as ongoing talks with the Ukrainian side over his price tag proved futile.
“It’s very important that yes, you can trust us,” Klopp said on their decision not to blow the bank.
“It was a common decision [on Teixeira]. We said we can’t play this game until the end. We made offers, I won’t say too much about that, but they were realistic with the plusses of it being January, the Premier League, all the plusses you have when you make negotiations. But it was a case of: ‘If you don’t want it, OK, we can’t change the situation, both for now and the future.’”
Liverpool rightly refused to part with an astronomical fee for Teixeira, especially after receiving mixed messages during negotiations. However, they remain light in attack even with that department set for some injury relief.
Daniel Sturridge is set to return to training this week after suffering several setbacks, but he has not been able to string enough consecutive sessions together to be considered for a matchday squad. He last played against Newcastle on December 6 and has only featured six times in total this season. When he is on the pitch, Liverpool are guaranteed goals but he is not in the starting line-up often enough. Philippe Coutinho, the club’s joint-second highest scorer this season with five goals, will also join his teammates in the full workouts this week along with young Belgian striker Divock Origi.
Danny Ings, who ruptured his ACL in October, will start light training outside again for the first time since then on Tuesday.
Klopp has said the returning players feel like new signings and given no additions arrived in the winter window, he’ll be hoping the club have overcome their worst injury period for the campaign.
In fairness, the manager always maintained he was not interested in the January market until a packed treatment room at Melwood forced his hand. When he was left with no established centre-backs, Steven Caulker was signed from Queens Park Rangers as defensive cover on loan until the end of the season.
Liverpool’s other moves in the window were to cater for the future: Serbian starlet Marko Grujic was recruited for £5.1 million on a five-year deal from Red Star Belgrade and will join the club in the summer. Contact has been made with Schalke centre-back Joel Matip, whose contract runs out in June, and the Reds are confident he will join them ahead of the new campaign.
Leicester’s promising left-back Ben Chilwell has been closely monitored as has Udinese’s 21-year-old Poland international Piotr Zielinski, who is on loan at Empoli. Those are two players the club will look at again in the summer.
Even the pursuit of Teixeira was built around what he could offer right now, but most importantly, what he could deliver in upcoming seasons.
Klopp doesn’t do short-termism. “I have been here for four months and nothing has happened on transfers,” he said. “I am fine with that and we can go on working.”
Liverpool and their manager have plenty more games to navigate and work to get through over the next six months. Teixeira would've been a brilliant acquisition, but the hectic fixture schedule must go on.
- Goal