Xabi Alonso's first move to Liverpool is complicated, he's worth 50 million

As the winter transfer window draws to a close, Liverpool find themselves in a worrying situation, having failed to add any new faces to their squad at Anfield. The injury to Joel Matip, who will be out for the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, has highlighted the need to strengthen the backline.

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Trouble at Anfield, Xabi Alonso's arrival complicated, alternative to be found

Injuries to Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas have affected Liverpool's defensive depth over the winter period, forcing Joe Gomez to play at left-back and giving 20-year-old Conor Bradley the chance to excel in the right-back position.

Despite solid performances from Gomez and Bradley, Liverpool tried to sign Johan Hincapie from Leverkusen in January, but to no avail. As 'Sportsmole' reports, the Bundesliga leaders rejected the Reds' attempts to take the 22-year-old from the BayArena, meaning Liverpool will go into February with no signings. According to different sources, the value of the Ecuadorian is 50 million.

They will come back for him in the summer

However, the report suggests that Hincapie remains a priority for Liverpool heading into the summer, with the club having identified the left-sided centre-back position as a key area to strengthen. The versatile Ecuadorian defender, who can also play at left-back, joined Leverkusen in 2021 and has made 95 appearances in the last two-and-a-half years, contributing goals and assists. Despite an inconsistent start to this Bundesliga season, Hincapie scored a crucial goal in Leverkusen's win over RB Leipzig last weekend, keeping his team at the top of the table. The player is still under contract with Leverkusen until 2027, but the German club are willing to listen to offers in the summer.