Jeremie Frimpong
January 2026
Frimpong went off early with a suspected groin issue, adding to Liverpool’s defensive injuries and forcing further reshuffles. He has had repeated muscle problems this season; with Bradley out long-term, Gomez injured, and Konate absent, Slot is improvising with players out of position and Endo stepping in after the early substitution.
Virgil van Dijk
January 2026
Van Dijk was blamed for Bournemouth’s opener after misplaying a long ball, as Liverpool’s defensive chaos and a delayed substitution after Gomez collided with Alisson contributed to a 3-2 defeat despite a brief comeback. Scott collected Van Dijk’s mistake and crossed for Evanilson. Gomez went off injured, but Endo’s entry was delayed and Liverpool played short-handed, conceding again. Liverpool rallied through Van Dijk and Szoboszlai, but Bournemouth’s late winner sealed it.
Mohamed Salah
December 2025
Mohamed Salah returned from his self inflicted exile to play 70 minutes off the bench against Brighton, setting up Hugo Ekitike’s second goal as Liverpool won 2-0 and climbed to sixth in the table before losing him to Africa Cup of Nations duty. Slot named him on the bench after their public rift, then turned to him when Joe Gomez went off injured, later describing Salah as a constant threat and insisting private talks will stay in house while accepting he now departs with other attackers still missing.
Joe Gomez (Liverpool)
October 2025
AC Milan have prioritised Joe Gomez for a winter move as the defender seeks more minutes. Club leaders Igli Tare and Giorgio Furlani will try to strike a deal but will pivot if talks stall. Milan also plan renewals for Christian Pulisic, Mike Maignan, Fikayo Tomori and Alexis Saelemaekers.
Milan want an experienced centre back to stabilise a thin unit before the run in. Gomez offers versatility across the back line and Premier League pedigree. Contract extensions aim to lock key pillars while keeping options open if the Gomez pursuit proves unworkable.
