Premier League
Five Liverpool players could leave club today
The high-profile arrival of Luis Diaz at Liverpool looks set to have a knock-on effect at the club with numbers squad players tipped for moves away on deadline day
Accordng to Mirror Football, it’s been an unexpectedly quiet January transfer window for Liverpool so far, but that has now all changed.
Just when it appeared as though Jurgen Klopp had settled on his squad for the second half of the season, Tottenham’s apparent interest in long-term target Luis Diaz forced the Reds into action.
The highly-rated Porto winger has now signed a 5-year deal after Liverpool upped their efforts to secure his signature, and his arrival is set to have a knock-on effect as we head into deadline day.
The addition of the Colombian is likely to lead to a last-minute reshuffle in attack while a number of defensive options have been continuously linked with moves away from Anfield over the past few weeks.
As the clocks ticks ever closer to Monday night’s deadline, there are a several members of Klopp’s squad who now appear surplus to requirements and set for transfers late in the window.
Courtesy Mirror Football, we bring you the latest on five of those potential leavers…
Divock Origi
Divock Origi’s Liverpool love affair looks to be coming to an end The Belgian striker has secured cult hero status at the club following a number of crucial goals in recent years, but his Liverpool love affair appears to nearing its conclusion as his contract expires in the summer.
Despite talk of a clause being included in his current deal which could see him kept on for another year should he play a certain number of matches, Origi has found game-time limited this season with a recent knee injury only compounding matters.
The 26-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Italy this month, however the forward is reportedly keen to remain in the Premier League.
Newcastle are among his admirers and could look to add further attacking reinforcement in their bid to beat the drop, while Serie A side Atalanta are also reportedly keen and could push for a move should they lose star striker Duvan Zapata, who himself has attracted interest from the Magpies.
Takumi Minamino
The arrival of Diaz in attack is also likely to impact the immediate future of Takumi Minamino.
The Japanese forward struggled for minutes prior to Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane ‘s African Cup of Nations commitments and the addition of more competition in attack will surely further hamper his chances of first-team action.
Leeds and Monaco are the two clubs reportedly leading the race for his signature and it is believed Liverpool would be willing to allow the 27-year-old forward to depart should a club meet their valuation of around £20million.
With Marcelo Bielsa’s men in particular having received a setback in their pursuit of Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Brendan Aaronson, a deadline day move for Minamino makes sense for all parties.
The £36m summer arrival of Ibrahima Konate has limited the number of opportunities available to fellow defender Nat Phillips, who provided some much needed cover at the back following several injuries last season.
However, the centre-back has only featured on three occasions so far this term and has openly expressed his desire to seek first-team football elsewhere, amid interest from numerous suitors.
Liverpool reportedly rejected a £7m offer from Watford earlier in the window and turned away an initial loan proposal from Newcastle, one of a number of setbacks the Magpies have received in their pursuit of defensive reinforcements.
West Ham are another Premier League rival reportedly keen to acquire Phillips as cover for the injury-stricken Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna, but the Reds appear determined to hold out for a figure in the region of £15m for the 24-year-old.
Neco Williams
Another defensive option who could well depart before Monday night’s deadline is right-back Neco Williams.
The Wales international is reportedly attracting interest from at least one Premier League club and a number of Championship sides and, according to Liverpool Echo, the Reds will consider offers of a loan with an obligation to buy.
Williams himself is believed to be keen to gain first-team experience elsewhere in order to bolster his international prospects, with Wales involved in crucial World Cup qualifying play-offs come March.
The 20-year-old has only made eight appearances so far this campaign, including a mere seven minutes of Premier League action, and is reportedly valued at around £10m.
Rhys Williams
Like Phillips, Rhys Williams was another who impressed when called upon during Liverpool’s defensive injury crisis of last season and now looks set for a move away.
The centre-back spent the first half of this campaign on loan at Swansea City but was recalled by the Reds after making a mere seven appearances.
A second loan spell in the Championship looks likely with Sheffield United and Reading reportedly interested in his services, though a deal could hinge on the future of the aforementioned Phillips.
The need to provide cover for the potentially outgoing centre-back was another factor behind Williams’ recall and, should a move away materialise, the 20-year-old may well be retained as defensive back-up.
Manchester United’s under-pressure coach Ruben Amorim will be given the full three years of his contract to prove himself and the club will become the most profitable in the world, co-owner Jim Ratcliffe said on Wednesday.
Amorim was Ratcliffe’s choice to replace Erik ten Hag last November but the Portuguese coach has struggled to turn around the club’s flagging fortunes, winning only 10 of his 34 Premier League matches in charge.
United endured their worst top-flight finish last season since they were relegated in 1973–74, coming 15th, and they missed out on Europe after being beaten by Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
But Ratcliffe has issued his strongest statement of support for Amorim yet, comparing the situation to when Alex Ferguson struggled in the early years of his reign before becoming the greatest manager in the club’s history.
“I remember the clamouring for Alex Ferguson to be fired in his first two years,” Ratcliffe, who owns 30% of the club and controls the football side of the business, told The Times’ podcast The Business. “You look at (Mikel) Arteta at Arsenal. He had a miserable time for the first couple of years.
“We’re results-driven at the end of the day, but we have to be patient and we have to see through the results. I think there’s lots of good things at Manchester United. We have to be patient and we have a long-term plan. It isn’t a light switch.
“Ruben needs to demonstrate that he’s a great coach over three years.”
‘WE’VE MADE ERRORS’
While the American Glazer family retain majority control of the 20-time champions of England, Ratcliffe rejected suggestions they could instruct him to sack Amorim.
“It absolutely wouldn’t happen because it’s just a good working relationship. They come to the board meetings. We sit down and we talk about things,” Ratcliffe said.
“We’ve made errors. There’s absolutely no question that we’ve made errors as we’ve gone along and we’ve talked about it. But no one’s perfect.”
Asked to confirm whether Amorim would see out his contract, Ratcliffe said: “Yes. That’s where I would be. Three years, because football’s not overnight.”
Despite United’s stock falling on the pitch, off it they recently posted record revenues of 666.5 million pounds ($892.1 million) in the year to June 2025, albeit with a 33 million pounds loss.
Amorim’s squad was boosted by more than 200 million pounds worth of new signings in the summer.
“The better your squad, the better your football should be. So a lot of what we have done in the first year is spend an awful lot of time putting the club on a sustainable, healthy footing,” Ratcliffe, who completed his acquisition of a minority stake in the club in 2024, said.
“If you look at our results for last year we have the highest revenues ever. Profitability, the second highest. We’re not seeing all the benefits of the restructuring that we’ve done in this set of results, and we were not in the Champions League.
“Those numbers will get better. Manchester United will become the most profitable football club in the world, in my view, and from that will stem, I hope, a long-term, sustainable, high-level of football.”
Ratcliffe also said he wants to revive the club’s Academy that once churned out the likes of multiple title winners David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.
“The academy has really slipped at Manchester United,” Ratcliffe said. “You don’t solve the academy problem overnight. It takes time. We just recruited a new academy director.”
-Reuters
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Manchester United cruised to a rare comfortable home Premier League victory as goals from Mason Mount and Benjamin Sesko secured a 2-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday.
With the pressure growing on manager Ruben Amorim after a disappointing start to the season, Mount calmed the nerves around the ground with a fine early finish to break the deadlock.
United continued to dominate, with a spectacular save from Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs preventing Bruno Fernandes from adding a sumptuous second before Sesko netted his first Old Trafford goal after 31 minutes.
Sunderland were awarded a penalty late in the first half, a decision that was overturned following a VAR intervention, but they never really threatened after the break as United eased to a third home league victory of the season.
The result put United in provisional eighth place with 10 points from seven games, two places below Sunderland on 11.
Wins, especially comfortable ones, have been in short supply for Portuguese Amorim since he took charge in November.
United supporters have slowly started to turn on the new manager as a result, with nothing short of victory over promoted Sunderland, despite the visitors’ impressive start to the season, enough to appease the disgruntled masses.
Mount’s superb control and finish was just what the beleaguered boss needed. The fine strike was the earliest United have scored in the Premier League since Marcus Rashford’s goal at Ipswich Town in Amorim’s first game in charge.
It was only a matter of time until the hosts scored again, such was their dominance. From a long throw, Sesko was alert to the flick-on before steering home his second in as many games.
United thought they had shot themselves in the foot as Sesko was penalised for a high boot in his own penalty area, only for VAR to deem it not to be a foul.
The hosts took their foot off the gas in the second half, but still should have added to their tally, with veteran Brazilian Casemiro blazing their best chance over the bar.
Sunderland did manufacture a late gilt-edged chance but Senne Lammens, making his debut in the United goal, stood tall to block, completing an assured performance from the keeper and his new teammates.
-Reuters
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Premier League champions Liverpool dropped points for the first time this season when they lost 2-1 at Crystal Palace in the eighth minute of added time as Manchester United and Chelsea suffered 3-1 defeats on Saturday.
United slumped at Brentford and 10-man Chelsea were beaten at home by Brighton & Hove Albion, who scored twice in stoppage time.
Manchester City thrashed Burnley 5-1 thanks to two own goals and a late brace from Erling Haaland while Leeds United were held to a 2-2 draw after Bournemouth equalised in added time through 19-year-old Eli Junior Kroupi.
There was also a late twist at Tottenham Hotspur when Joao Palhinha struck an equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time to salvage a 1-1 draw at home to bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
LIVERPOOL SUFFER FIRST LOSS
Liverpool were on the back foot early on when Palace took the lead in the ninth minute through a set-piece when the ball fell to Ismaila Sarr who smashed it home.
Liverpool would have conceded more if not for goalkeeper Alisson while Jean-Philippe Mateta nearly made it 2-0 when he hit the post.
Although Liverpool equalised through Federico Chiesa in the 87th minute, fellow substitute Eddie Nketiah provided late drama when he scored the winner in the 97th minute, with Selhurst Park celebrating the goal twice after VAR confirmed he was not offside.
“The boys are in really good form and think we can win every game and today we showed that,” Nketiah told the BBC.
Palace ended the day in second place, three points behind leaders Liverpool although Arsenal can go second if they beat Newcastle United on Sunday.
OWN GOALS, HAALAND GIVE MAN CITY WIN
Burnley’s Maxime Esteve became only the sixth player to score two own goals in a Premier League game as City climbed up to fourth.
Esteve scored the first when he tried to deny Phil Foden but Jaidon Anthony made it 1-1 with a shot that deflected off Ruben Dias.
Matheus Nunes restored City’s lead with a close-range effort before Esteve’s second own goal came when he looked to stop Oscar Bobb from finding the net.
Haaland struck twice in the dying minutes to hand Burnley their biggest loss of the season.
MANCHESTER UNITED LOSE AT BRENTFORD
Bryan Mbeumo received a warm welcome from the Brentford fans as he returned to his former club for the first time since his move to Manchester United but the reception paled in comparison to the roars when the home side went 2-0 up inside 20 minutes.
Igor Thiago capitalised on United’s high line for the opener when Jordan Henderson sent him through on goal in the eighth minute, before the Brazilian forward grabbed his second when United keeper Altay Bayindir spilled a save right into his path.
United pulled one back when Benjamin Sesko scored his first goal for the club but Bruno Fernandes had a penalty saved by Caoimhin Kelleher before Mathias Jensen put the game out of reach in added time with a rocket from outside the box.
“We didn’t control the game, we played the game of Brentford. We were really confused (on) second balls, first balls, set pieces,” United manager Ruben Amorim said.
“The crucial moments, they were against us. Tough to lose again.”
CHELSEA SEE RED AGAIN
Chelsea had a player sent off for a second time in as many league games when Trevoh Chalobah saw red for denying Brighton a goal-scoring opportunity at Stamford Bridge.
Enzo Fernandez had given Chelsea a 1-0 lead with a close-range header but Chalobah’s red card in the 53rd minute reduced the home side to 10 men and Brighton made it count when Danny Welbeck opened his account for the season with the equaliser.
Brighton capitalised again in the 92nd minute when Maxim De Cuyper powered home a header and the visitors sealed all three points when Welbeck scored in the 10th minute of added time.
Bournemouth took the lead at Leeds when Antoine Semenyo scored from a free kick but the home side made it 2-1 when Joe Rodon and Sean Longstaff netted either side of halftime.
With Leeds close to taking three points, Kroupi volleyed home from inside the box in the 93rd minute to lift Bournemouth into a group of three clubs on 11 points.
Sunderland moved to 11 points and fourth place by beating Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the City Ground to leave Forest’s new manager Ange Postecoglou winless after five games in charge.
Omar Alderete’s first-half goal was the difference between the two sides with Sunderland mounting a staunch rearguard action as Forest laid siege to their goal.
Wolves were seconds away from earning their first win of the season after losing their opening five games in their worst ever start to a league campaign.
They led through Santiago Bueno’s scrappy goal early in the second half but Palhinha guided in a superb finish to send Tottenham to third place on goal difference.
-Reuters
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