Man Utd and Liverpool Brace for Intense January Battle to Land Premier League Star as Transfer Talks Intensify
Man Utd and Liverpool Ready for Fierce January Showdown to Secure Premier League Star as Transfer Talks Heat Up
United and Liverpool are gearing up for a showdown to secure one of the Premier League’s brightest talents.
Manchester United and Liverpool are reportedly set to go head-to-head in the January transfer window to sign a fellow Premier League standout.The two clubs have experienced drastically different starts to the 2024/25 season, with Liverpool sitting five points clear at the top after only one loss under Arne Slot, while United languish in 13th place.United will be hoping for a turnaround in form following the appointment of Ruben Amorim, who will oversee his first match in charge against Ipswich Town next Sunday.
The 39-year-old must quickly get to work to ensure his squad can adapt to his preferred 3-4-3 formation, but he will likely need to enter the transfer market to make more substantial changes.
How much United can spend in January remains uncertain, as The Athletic reports that they are close to reaching their Financial Fair Play (FFP) limit due to the compensation paid to sacked manager Erik ten Hag and the appointment of Ruben Amorim along with his former Sporting coaching staff. However, player sales could provide Amorim with some financial flexibility.In contrast, Liverpool are in a much stronger financial position. They spent around £40 million in the summer to bring in Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili, and were also in pursuit of Martin Zubimendi for approximately £50 million.
According to Relevo, who were the first to report Liverpool’s moves for Zubimendi and Mamardashvili in the summer, the Reds have now shifted their focus to strengthening the left-back position. United have joined them in this pursuit.Both clubs are said to have made initial inquiries about Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez, who has made significant progress under the guidance of Andoni Iraola at Dean Court.
The 21-year-old Hungary international has been a regular starter for Bournemouth in all of their Premier League matches this season, and he contributed two assists in their recent 2-1 victory over Manchester City.
Kerkez joined Bournemouth from AZ Alkmaar for £15.5 million in the summer of 2023, after a stint at AC Milan where he failed to make a first-team appearance.United have notable concerns at left-back, with Tyrell Malacia still recovering from an injury he sustained in the summer of 2023, while Luke Shaw has struggled with a series of injuries in recent years.
Kerkez could offer United a new attacking option at left-back, while at Liverpool, he would face competition from Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas for a spot in the starting lineup.