January Transfer Window Preview: Left Back

January Transfer Window Preview

We now have less than a week until the January transfer window opens! Merry Transfermas! Hopefully Santa will see that Liverpool have been good this year and surprise us with a big name signing that will help Liverpool secure a Champions League stop this season. Rodgers says that the squad is big enough and now he is looking to bring in players to be inserted straight into the starting lineup.

Liverpool are in need of a few players as the squad is a bit thin at the moment and if someone was to get injured or go through a rough patch of form then we could be in trouble. The most obvious position in need of strengthening is left back. This has been a problem area of Liverpool's for years now and although Enrique has done a decent job this season injuries are keeping him from holding down a regular spot. Cissokho has been a bit of a dud and looked completely out of his league in the Man City game today and Flanagan still has some work to do as well. So a starting, young left back is the first priority for me. Here are some left backs that have been linked with Liverpool recently. They are listed in the order of a probable move to Liverpool.

Ryan Bertrand

The 24 year old Englishman is probably the most likely left back to join Liverpool in January. I think he is very similar to Ashley Cole in appearance and playing style but he hasn't had too many opportunities at Chelsea, especially this season and now is the third choice left back behind Azpilicueta and Cole. It was rumored that Liverpool were interested in a move for Bertrand in the summer but a move was never made but now that he is further down the pecking order it might happen now. He still has a way to go but he has a lot of potential and could be a future starter for England. His situation reminds me a lot like Sturridge's move to Liverpool last year so I think this might happen for around 8 million pounds.

Probability: 3 out of 5

Martin Montoya

The 22 year old Spaniard currently plays for Barcelona and is starting to get more playing time there, playing part in 12 matches overall this season. It was rumored that Ian Ayre, Liverpool's managing director, flew out to Barcelona in order to hash out a possible move for Montoya to Liverpool. He has been linked with a move to Anfield for a while now but I still don't know if this is a move that Montoya is interested in, as most Barcelona players are very loyal to the club. He is the best choice for Liverpool but price and his decision to renew contract talks with Barcelona could make this one a no go.

Probability: 2 out of 5

Dennis Aogo

Aogo is a German international that is currently on loan to Schalke from Hamburg and has been doing very well this season. He is a little bit older at 26 years old but still has many good years in him. He would be more of a gamble for Liverpool and I don't think he would be the best purchase right now. To be honest I don't know too much about him or seen him play a whole lot but I just think there are better, younger players Liverpool should focus on instead. The fact that he is already on loan to another club would also make things very difficult.

Probability: 1 out of 5

Fabio Coentrao

This player coming to Liverpool is a bit of a long shot but is still a possibility and I personally would like this player moving here the most. He has proved himself one of the best up and coming left backs at his time with Real Madrid since 2011 with Mourinho using him quite a bit. His playing time has gone down considerably this season only playing part in 4 matches so far, it was even rumored that Real tried to offload him in the summer. His attacking prowess is fantastic though can be caught out of position on occasion but marauding fullbacks is what Rodgers is looking for. He wouldn't come on the cheap though, my guess is somewhere around 12 million would do the trick but there are plenty of clubs interested like Tottenham, of course.

Probability: 1 out of 5

Verdict:

Liverpool are in a much better position to bring in high quality players to Anfield, quite a bit more than a few months ago even. It is still a bit of a stretch to bring in players like Coentrao or Montoya though it is still a possibility, though I believe that Bertrand will be the one to move to Liverpool in January. He is out of favor at Chelsea and already has strong connections to Liverpool through former teammate Sturridge and former coach Rodgers. Hopefully this deal can be done early in the window so we can send Cissokho back to Valencia and send Flanagan out on loan for the rest of the season.

I will be covering the other positions that Liverpool need to strengthen in the January transfer window in the coming days so check back soon!