It was an affair that ended almost as quickly as it began. Tottenham Hotspur move for Liverpool Andy Robertson reportedly now off the table:
The report was first broken by Paul Joyce of The Times and has now been followed up by the likes of Alasdair Gold of The Football News and David Ornstein of The Athletic, both of whom are saying the same thing: Liverpool have pulled the plug on the transfer – but that doesn’t mean it still won’t happen.
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While Tottenham are struggling for depth, Liverpool’s hierarchy are unwilling to sacrifice themselves and hope to recall Greek defender Kostas Tsimikas, who is on loan at Roma, to pad the numbers. Starting left-back Milos Kolquez was taken off at half-time against Bournemouth on Saturday as Arne Slott tried to manage his load, while Joe Gomez was also injured, meaning Liverpool are now short of defensive options.
However, Roma have refused to recall him at this stage and are currently unable to find a suitable replacement. Why they were able to say “no” is anyone’s guess. There may be some clauses in place to bring back Liverpool without approval, or perhaps Liverpool just don’t want to damage their relationship with the club in a move that could have long-term ramifications just to sell someone who is seen as a stalwart of the Anfield club. But it does suggest that Robertson’s move to Spurs remains a possibility if Roma find the right man.
It is the latest in a series of transfer business failures for John Langer and, although the situation is once again largely beyond Tottenham’s control, the need for left-back depth has been pressing for some time. Ben Davis’ ankle injury exacerbates that need. Is Robertson the right choice? He’s a solid player with good passing ability and experience, and he won’t cost a lot; but you have to think there are better options out there that won’t ask for that much and are under 30 years old.
Whether Langer (and Spurs) will sign one of them in January is another question to be answered.