Liverpool transfer news as $58M bid 'submitted' and move for 'next Florian Wirtz' considered

Liverpool transfer news as the Reds are said to have submitted a bid for a center-back while the club is reportedly eyeing a move for a player dubbed the next Florian Wirtz

Liverpool is set to submit a bid for Joel Ordonez(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

The January transfer window is now open, and Liverpool could be among the clubs making moves over the coming weeks

Despite a major spending spree last summer, injuries are starting to take their toll. With key players like Alexander Isak and Joe Gomez sidelined, the Reds may need to return to the market to safeguard their top-four ambitions, especially after a dismal 0-0 draw against Leeds to start the new year.

Arne Slot, however, may be focusing on bolstering another part of his squad, with recent reports linking Liverpool to potential new defensive signings, with a bid said to have been submitted for a new center-back

Here is the Liverpool.com verdict on the latest transfer gossip to emerge around the Reds.

Joel Ordonez (Club Brugge)

Liverpool is set to sign Joel Ordonez from Club Brugge in the coming days, according to Bola VIP. Reports suggest that negotiations have heated up, with the center-back reportedly close to completing a move to Anfield this month.

Details of the proposed deal indicate the 21-year-old would earn around $4 million annually—almost triple his current salary at Club Brugge.

The initial transfer fee is said to be about $47 million, though add-ons could quickly increase the total to $58 million.

Joel Ordonez could join Liverpool this January(Image: ANP via Getty Images)

Talks are said to have accelerated in recent days, with growing confidence at Anfield that an agreement can be reached soon, pending final decisions on the fee structure and additional clauses.

Liverpool.com says: Ordonez could be a strong addition for Liverpool — a young center-back capable of providing cover for Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate this season, while gradually developing into a more prominent role in the years ahead.

Said El Mala (Cologne)

A report in the Daily Mail has revealed that one of Liverpool’s potential targets is Said El Mala, a player the club’s scouts have been monitoring and could look to pursue.

While a January move seems unlikely, El Mala could be a realistic option for Liverpool in the summer. The 19-year-old ticks many boxes: he is young, technically gifted in one-on-one situations, and versatile enough to play across the front three.

El Mala is already being hailed as one of the brightest prospects in the next generation of German talent and has drawn comparisons to Florian Wirtz due to their shared development at FC Koln.

Before making his mark at Bayer Leverkusen, Wirtz rose through Köln’s academy, establishing himself as one of Germany’s most exciting young players.

Liverpool.com says: Said El Mala could be an exciting long-term prospect for Liverpool. At just 19, he combines versatility, technical skill, and goal-scoring ability—qualities that make him well-suited to Slot’s system.