‘Wasn’t available’ – Arne Slot confirms Liverpool target was not available in January

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has acknowledged that the club came close to strengthening their defensive ranks during the closing stages of the January transfer window, only to see a potential move fall through.

The Reds, who have been severely stretched at the back this season, explored a deal for Lutsharel Geertruida, but ultimately decided against pursuing the transfer due to its complexity.

Faced with a mounting injury list, Liverpool were forced to scan the market for immediate solutions. Geertruida quickly emerged as a logical target.

Slot knows the defender well from their shared time at Feyenoord, where Geertruida captained the side and became a cornerstone of Slot’s defensive structure.

His versatility, capable of operating at centre-back or full-back, made him particularly appealing given Liverpool’s short-handed squad.

However, the move proved far from straightforward. Geertruida is currently on loan at Sunderland from RB Leipzig, creating a complicated three-club scenario.

Rather than forcing through a stopgap solution, Liverpool opted to think ahead.

The club instead focused their efforts on securing Jérémy Jacquet from Stade Rennais, agreeing a deal worth around £60 million to bring the highly rated centre-back to Anfield in the summer.

The move reflects Liverpool’s preference for long-term planning over short-term fixes, even in the face of immediate challenges.

“I think I’ve said that we’ve tried to strengthen the squad, so that probably tells you [I wanted players] and I don’t think I was the only one who wanted that,” Slot said on Thursday, as reported by the Mirror.

“But it’s always about availability and the right player.

“We do have discussions about what is good for the short and for the long term of the club and now, for example, Jeremy Jacquet wasn’t available for the winter, but he was for the summer.

“We’ve made a decision to sign him because we think he’s a really good signing for the future of this club. I’m very happy with the squad. Let that be clear. But it’s all clear and obvious, that we have three long-term injuries (Bradley, Leoni, Alexander Isak).

“That’s why we’ve tried to strengthen the squad in winter break and the player you mentioned (Geertruida), in the end, wasn’t available. But we’ve tried to strengthen the squad – that is clear.

“And that tells you that we think that it would have helped us. But it should be possible that we’re not gonna sign players that are not good enough to play for this club.”

Slot has since hinted that while January was difficult, the club did not want to compromise its wider strategy.

Bringing in Jacquet is seen internally as a major investment in the future of Liverpool’s defense, rather than a reactionary decision driven solely by injuries.

With injuries testing their depth and Geertruida’s situation proving too complex, the Reds chose patience over panic.

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