Liverpool January transfers: John Aldridge calls for signings after Manchester City defeat

John Aldridge has urged Liverpool to strengthen in January, arguing that injuries alone cannot explain the squad shortages exposed by their 3-0 defeat against Manchester City.

The former Liverpool striker believes the club have failed to build on their Premier League title success. His concern is that even a fully available squad would leave them short of the sides they are trying to challenge.

According to Jake Davies’ report for Inside Futbol, Aldridge made his assessment on LFCTV following Sunday’s defeat, when youngster Lewis Koumas was asked to lead the attack.

For Liverpool, the January transfer window is becoming a question of whether another round of recruitment can address weaknesses that substantial summer spending has left unresolved.

John Aldridge questions Liverpool squad depth

“January, we’ve got to do some business in January,” Aldridge said on LFCTV.

His argument extended beyond the players currently unavailable. Returning senior figures would improve the manager’s options, but Aldridge does not believe that would resolve the wider problem.

“Even when these injuries are back, we’re short compared to the other teams at the top.”

That distinction matters. If the issue were simply a temporary injury crisis, Liverpool could reasonably expect their position to improve as players recovered. Aldridge’s assessment instead points towards a squad whose depth needs attention regardless of availability.

“That shouldn’t be the case when we only won the league just over a year or so ago,” he added.

“It’s not been built on.”

January transfer decisions carry greater importance

Inside Futbol reports that Liverpool followed their title-winning campaign under Arne Slot with a fifth-place finish, before turning to Andoni Iraola.

The former Bournemouth manager received significant backing in the summer. Yet the defeat against City, with Koumas leading the line, has intensified scrutiny of how those resources have been distributed.

The concern should not fall on a young player being asked to take responsibility in difficult circumstances. It is whether Liverpool have provided sufficient experienced alternatives around him.

January could offer an opportunity to correct that balance. However, identifying a shortage and finding an available player capable of addressing it are separate challenges.

Liverpool’s decisions will also depend on their budget. Inside Futbol notes that the funds available for the winter window remain unclear, making any assumption about another major spending programme premature.

Expensive arrivals leave questions over attacking balance

The report highlights the scale of Liverpool’s recent investment: £125 million for Alexander Isak and more than £100 million for Florian Wirtz in the summer of 2025, followed by another outlay exceeding £100 million on Bradley Barcola this summer.

Isak is currently injured, while Inside Futbol describes Wirtz as struggling to influence proceedings and Barcola as having made a quiet start.

Those circumstances help explain the frustration. Large fees create expectations, but they do not automatically produce an attack with enough variety or cover.

Iraola reportedly wanted further wide options. Victor Munoz arrived, but pursuits of Ibrahim Mbaye, Ismaila Sarr and Yankuba Minteh did not result in additional signings.

Liverpool subsequently pulled out of a proposed move taking Cody Gakpo to Manchester City, according to the same report. Retaining him preserved an attacking option when further recruitment had proved unsuccessful.