Kostas Tsimikas breaks silence on Liverpool return amid Andy Robertson transfer theory

Speculation around Andy Robertson's future persists. Kostas Tsimikas could play a key role in any late transfer, and the on-loan Liverpool defender has spoken.

Kostas Tsimikas remains on loan at Roma for the time being, despite speculation back at Liverpool. (Image: Elianton/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)

Kostas Tsimikas probably didn't expect to become a central part of a Liverpool transfer story this January. But with Spurs in for Andy Robertson, the Greek has suddenly become a critical cog.

There might have been a slight question over Tsimikas' loan agreement anyway, with game time at Roma limited. There had been murmurings of interest from Nottingham Forest.

But with no recall clause in the loan agreement (a plight with which Harvey Elliott can sympathize), it looked set to be a relatively straightforward case of seeing if Roma wanted to cut things short or not. In a sense, that's still the case, but it's a decision which now has significantly more ramifications.

Essentially, the theory goes that Liverpool will only consider letting Robertson go to Tottenham if it is able to recall Tsimikas, who could then deputize for Milos Kerkez for the remainder of the campaign in place of the Scot. Roma, for its part, would need a replacement of its own before terminating the loan.

All of these moving parts look likely to thwart a transfer, with Slot confirming he expects Robertson to stay. But with days left in the window, uncertainty still lingers.

Tsimikas has now had his say on things. As far as he is concerned, he is remaining focused on Roma:

"I’m very focused on my team," Tsimikas insisted, via TMW. "I want to be part of this group and improve as a player.

"We’ve heard a lot of rumors, a lot of information, but it’s better to cover your ears and just try to give your best when the opportunities come. For me, my only goal is this: I am here and I want to show the best of myself."

There can be no doubt that this is the right attitude to adopt. You'd expect no less of Tsimikas, who showed an impeccable mentality despite spending much of his time on the bench behind Robertson at Anfield.

Tsimikas served as an able deputy to Robertson for five years at Liverpool before his loan to Roma. (Image: PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

And it's not as if his time with Roma has been a complete bust. Though starts have been hard to come by, he has made 16 appearances in all competitions.

Even if a recall is on the table, however, there's a strong case that Liverpool should not sanction a Robertson transfer regardless. While Tsimikas has his qualities, there's little doubt that the vice-captain is the superior player, and the more confidence-inspiring option if Kerkez is unavailable.

Then there's the very fact that Robertson is the vice-captain. He is a leadership figure within the dressing room, and his absence would leave a void at a time when senior players need to step up to salvage something from a stuttering season.

Robertson remains an important player at Liverpool. (Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)

For the sake of a nominal transfer fee ahead of his contract expiry in the summer, it would be a strange move to let him go, regardless of whether Tsimikas is available to slot in. All of the reasons that Tottenham would love to have him apply to Liverpool in equal measure.

It's not even as if Slot is not using Robertson. He would be needlessly casting off a regular member of the squad, who he called upon to replace a shaky Kerkez at half-time in the most recent Premier League encounter.

So Tsimikas is taking the right approach by keeping his head down and looking to impress at Roma. A transfer chain reaction cannot be entirely ruled out, but Liverpool looks as though it may have seen sense.