Liverpool has emerged as the frontrunner in the pursuit of Joel Ordonez following Chelsea's withdrawal from the race for the talented defender. In recent news from Liverpool, the club announced the departure of set-piece coach Aaron Briggs, who had only been officially appointed in September after serving in a temporary capacity last season.
As Liverpool faces an injury crisis, with only two senior center-backs available—Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni—the need for a new defender has become pressing. The club has reportedly maintained interest in Ordonez even prior to their acquisition of Leoni. According to Lewis Steele from the Mail, a South American news outlet has now indicated that Liverpool is “leading the charge” to secure Ordonez’s signature from Club Brugge.
BolaVIP reports that while Ordonez was eager to join Chelsea, the London club has chosen to step back from negotiations, thereby opening the door for Liverpool. Additionally, Inter Milan is said to be monitoring the situation closely. The 21-year-old Ecuadorian has garnered significant attention due to his impressive performance over two and a half years at Club Brugge, where he has made 105 appearances, including 18 starts in the Champions League.
The transfer fee for Ordonez could exceed £35 million in January, according to BolaVIP.
In today's updates regarding Liverpool FC:
- Liverpool has parted ways with set-piece coach Aaron Briggs, leaving no immediate replacement; Arne Slot and his coaching staff will take over his responsibilities. This decision comes in light of Liverpool's troubling statistics regarding set-pieces, which have been among the worst in Europe this season.
- In other news, there are whispers from Gazetta dello Sport that Juventus is interested in bringing Federico Chiesa back on loan, raising eyebrows given that Liverpool already lacks sufficient attacking depth.
For fans of football, here are some additional highlights:
- Excess funds from Paul Curtis’ Diogo Jota mural will be redirected by the LFC Foundation to establish a grassroots football initiative in honor of the player—a commendable allocation of resources.
- Tottenham has reportedly reached an agreement to sell Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace for £35 million, leaving fans pondering whether this is an investment from the proceeds of Marc Guehi or simply wishful thinking.
- Furthermore, discussions between Bournemouth and Manchester City regarding Antoine Semenyo are said to be in advanced stages for a January transfer, underscoring the ongoing activity in the transfer market.
Reflecting on this day in Liverpool history, on December 30, 2017, Philippe Coutinho played his final match for the club, contributing to a 2-1 victory against Leicester at Anfield. Jamie Vardy opened the scoring, marking a milestone as he became the first Foxes player to net in five consecutive games against Liverpool. However, Mo Salah’s two goals in the second half turned the tide for the Reds. Although fans were saddened by Coutinho's departure at the time, many would agree that selling him was ultimately beneficial, given the impact made by Alisson and Virgil van Dijk, both of whom were acquired using the funds from Coutinho's transfer to Barcelona.
