Liverpool ‘blocked’ from signing key target in January despite agreement

Liverpool ‘blocked’ from signing key target in January despite agreement

Despite an agreement, Liverpool was ‘blocked’ from signing a key target in January. Liverpool was forced to postpone a potential transfer for one of their top midfield targets in January due to a FIFA rule.

On deadline day, the Reds were quiet and failed to add a new player to their roster. The day went mostly as planned, and on Sunday, Jurgen Klopp said that Liverpool’s business for January was finished.

Matheus Nunes (Getty images)

On January 1, they paid £37 million to PSV for Cody Gakpo, but that was the sum of of the club’s incoming transfers.

Several young players left on loan, but there were no significant departures, and midfielder Jake Cain signed a permanent contract to join League Two Swindon.

Klopp will now have to work with what he has until the end of the season, with Liverpool hopeful of having injured quartet Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Arthur Melo and Virgil van Dijk back in the upcoming weeks and months.

The Reds did have one midfielder on their radar, but were unable to complete a deal.

Liverpool not able to sign midfielder in January
Liverpool reportedly expressed interest in Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes, who moved to the Midlands from Sporting Lisbon for a fee of £44 million last summer.

The Telegraph claimed that the Reds made an agreement to bid for the midfielder at a later date, having come close to signing him before the Wolves move.

It was claimed that a move would be more likely for the summer, although it was reported that the Reds and Chelsea, who were also interested, could launch a January bid.

However, as noted by The Athletic, that was not feasibly possible. Nunes has already played competitive matches for two clubs this season – he featured in two games for Sporting at the beginning of the season.

According to FIFA rules, a player may officially register with three teams in a single season, hence a January transfer to Liverpool may have been possible.

The rule specifies that a player can only play official matches for two clubs in a season, therefore the Portugal international would not have been permitted to play competitively for the Reds.

Liverpool would have had to send Nunes back out on loan to either Wolves or Sporting for the duration of the season even though they had the option of signing him last month.

The Reds could now aim to finalize the deal in the summer, with the midfield being a crucial area that needs bolstering.

In other news, How Liverpool was blocked; from signing key target in January despite agreement