Andy Robertson's Complicated Transfer in the January Window Quiet

LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY - Following Manchester City's breakthrough at the beginning of the year, which brought in two star players from the Premier League, the January transfer market has seemed very quiet. A week before the window closes, almost the only focus has been on the rumors of Liverpool defender Andy Robertson's move to Tottenham Hotspur. That transfer also has a high potential of falling through.

The January transfer window will close on Tuesday (2/2/2026) at 02:00 WIB. As the deadline approaches, there are not many rumors regarding player transfers. The major clubs, which are usually aggressive in adding players to welcome the second half of the season, appear to be passive. In fact, the total spending in the Premier League so far has only reached £255 million (Rp 5.8 trillion), still far from last season's record (£437.33 million/Rp 10 trillion).

So quiet, the only topic of conversation is Robertson, whose contract expires this summer. According to The Athletic, Tottenham had reached an agreement with Liverpool to sign the 31-year-old full-back last Wednesday. However, Liverpool suddenly changed their mind and temporarily suspended negotiations earlier this week.

Liverpool needs a replacement player if Robertson leaves. They intend to recall Kostas Tsimikas, who has been loaned to the Italian club AS Roma. The issue is that the return scenario requires the approval of both teams. Roma is reluctant to agree before they can acquire a new player. All teams are waiting on each other.

I think I need all my players.

Regardless of whether it succeeds or not, the complicated transfer issue feels strange for Liverpool. Robertson indeed has the potential to leave on a free transfer if he is not released in this window, but "The Reds" still need the services of the veteran player. The team coached by Arne Slot has yet to find balance in the back line.

Slot appears to be unsure about new full-back Milos Kerkez. For example, in the last match against Bournemouth, Kerkez was replaced by Robertson just after halftime due to a poor performance. "I think I need all my players," Slot told Sky Sports when asked about the Robertson issue.

Robertson's departure will almost certainly exacerbate Liverpool's defensive issues. Virgil van Dijk and his teammates have already conceded 32 goals in 23 matches so far. In contrast, when they won the Premier League title last season, they only conceded 41 goals in 38 matches.

Aside from the Robertson issue, Liverpool has been quite passive in this transfer window. In fact, they need a boost of new energy in the defense line. "The Reds" are experiencing a center-back crisis, to the point of having to use midfielder Wataru Endo when they lost to Bournemouth. They have only brought in an 18-year-old defender from Austria Vienna, Ifeanyi Ndukwe, for the summer.

Liverpool is just one of many major clubs that are not particularly enthusiastic about the mid-season transfer window. Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United have also yet to bring in new players, and even transfer rumors are quite scarce. They are more focused on utilizing the current squad available.

The trend appears reasonable when reflecting on the transactions from last summer. Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United are four of the five teams that recorded expenditures exceeding 200 million pounds (Rp 4.5 trillion). They had already spent lavishly in the previous window, thus being a bit more frugal this time. Liverpool, in particular, has become the biggest spender with an expenditure of 446.5 million pounds (Rp 10.2 trillion).

Arsenal, which faced a player crisis due to injuries during the same period last season, even had an excess of players at one point. Therefore, they have just loaned the talented midfielder Ethan Nwaneri to Olympique Marseille. "Ethan is not getting the playing time that he truly deserves," said Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta.

Major clubs that have not been very aggressive in the summer, such as City and Tottenham, are more active in the January transfer window. City has already brought in winger Antoine Semenyo and defender Marc Guehi. The total value of these two players is nearly 100 million pounds (Rp 2.2 trillion). The team managed by coach Pep Guardiola has been the biggest spender in the league so far.

Tottenham has already brought in renowned midfielder Conor Gallagher from Atletico Madrid. They are still pursuing several players, including Robertson, in order to distance themselves from the lower end of the standings. Currently, Tottenham is in 14th place in the temporary standings, only eight points away from the relegation zone.

Mediocre teams, such as Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, are actually more aggressive as the transfer deadline approaches. Villa is still pursuing the signature of former England national team striker, Tammy Abraham, from Besiktas. Forest is interested in Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, who was recently called up to the French national team. (AP/REUTERS)