Three Liverpool January transfer targets as Salah and two more could leave

Arne Slot will be looking to strengthen his Liverpool squad in January ahead of the latter half of the season

Liverpool’s January transfer activities are just as crucial as those who might be leaving Anfield this month. After a rocky start to the season, the Reds have stabilised under Arne Slot and currently sit in fourth place.

Following a public spat with Mohamed Salah in November 2025, the Dutch manager is now shifting his focus to potential arrivals and departures at Anfield.

The club splashed out a whopping £415million in the summer to bolster the squad. Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni and Alexander Isak were among the high-profile names that made their way to Merseyside.

January is traditionally a challenging period for Premier League clubs to attract top talent, but Slot will be hoping to use his available funds to spark a late push for trophies in 2026.

Here, Mirror Football has compiled a list of potential targets on Slot’s radar, as well as some stars who could be saying goodbye to Anfield.

READ MORE: Biggest Premier League stars who can sign pre-contracts in January due to expiring dealsREAD MORE: Nine Premier League January transfers that could happen including Man Utd and Liverpool deals

Marc Guehi – Crystal Palace

Marc Guehi has been on Liverpool’s radar for a while. The England international was all set to join the Reds for £35m last summer, but Crystal Palace pulled the plug on the deal at the eleventh hour.

As it stands, Guehi is poised to leave Palace as a free agent come summer, which means the Reds could hold off until then to secure his signature. However, Newcastle showed interest in the 25-year-old in 2024, having had three bids turned down at the time.

Interest from abroad is also expected with the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Inter all noted as potential destinations. This may prompt Liverpool to secure a deal for the star earlier than planned.

However, The Liverpool Echo reports Palace are almost certain to retain the defender this window. The report claims Guehi is extremely valuable to boss Olivier Glasner for the second half of the campaign.

Slot may still be tempted to launch another bid for the defender but with his links to the club last summer, biding their time may be the smartest idea for the Reds.

Antoine Semenyo – Bournemouth

Antoine Semenyo has been linked with virtually every club in England after a superb start to the 2025/26 season. The Ghana international has nine goals and three assists in 17 matches so far for Bournemouth and has been heavily linked with Manchester City.

However, his previous ties to Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes could come in handy for the Reds.

Hughes was technical director for the Cherries and a huge part of the recruitment team when Semenyo was signed from Bristol City in 2023 for £10m.

This tie could be key in the Reds overtaking City in the race for the 25-year-old’s signature. However, the expectation is that Semenyo will join Pep Guardiola’s side in January.

The Liverpool Echo reports being told by sources at both Bournemouth and Anfield that they believe the forward will sign for City with the £65m release clause only active until January 10.

Yan Diomande – RB Leipzig

In December 2025, Sky Sports Switzerland reported that Liverpool were in “very advanced” talks with RB Leipzig’s rising star Yan Diomande.

The 19-year-old has been a revelation for the German outfit since his summer signing, netting seven goals and providing four assists. He is currently on international duty with the Ivory Coast at AFCON.

Tottenham are also said to be keen on the young talent, but formal negotiations between the clubs have yet to commence.

Mohamed Salah

The potential departure of Mohamed Salah has been a hot topic in recent months following his public spat with Slot. The Liverpool legend accused the club of “throwing him under the bus” after being omitted from the starting line-up for three consecutive matches.

He was subsequently left out of the Champions League trip to Inter, but returned to the squad against Brighton after positive talks with Slot.

Despite the Liverpool manager insisting he has “moved on” from the dispute, rumours about Salah’s possible exit continue to swirl.

Saudi Arabian clubs were put on alert following this disagreement, and several teams remain interested in acquiring his services. Al Ittihad lodged a £150m bid for the Egyptian in 2023, but it was ultimately turned down.

However, with fan unrest still simmering, the Champions League winner might seek a move away before the season concludes.

Trey Nyoni

The 18-year-old has made limited appearances for the Reds this campaign, featuring in pre-season and sitting on the substitutes’ bench in recent weeks.

Nyoni was brought on during the final moments against Tottenham in December, offering him a taste of this year’s Premier League before the festive period concluded.

He also started both of Liverpool’s EFL Cup fixtures, completing 90 minutes against Southampton and Crystal Palace. Nevertheless, Slot might be inclined to send the young midfielder out on loan to acquire some vital experience needed to compete at the top level.

After giving Nyoni his first senior start in the 2024/25 campaign, Slot commented: “This club is known for this. These players train with us on a daily basis and it is nice to see they showed they can play at this level. “Now the next step is to be capable of playing [regularly] for Liverpool. “.

Rhys Williams

Rhys Williams made his senior debut for Liverpool in 2020 and went on to feature 19 times for Jurgen Klopp’s team during that campaign alone.

Nevertheless, the defender has barely featured since and has been sent out on loan six times over the past five years.

The 24-year-old has been restricted to EFL Trophy outings this season and was named on the bench for the Reds’ third-round encounter with Southampton in the Carabao Cup.

Another temporary move might be necessary for the centre-back to secure crucial playing time, though his numerous loan spells in recent years could persuade Slot to end his Liverpool journey permanently for potential success at another club.

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