Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Thiago Alcantara will miss this weekend’s Premier League game against Aston Villa at Anfield due to injuries, according to manager Juergen Klopp, who also gave little away about the club’s potential transfer action on Friday’s deadline day.
France’s Konate is out with a muscular problem and missed last weekend’s comeback triumph over Newcastle United, while Spain’s Thiago had hip surgery before the season began and has had a setback in his recovery.
Liverpool will also be missing captain Virgil van Dijk, who was sent off for a tackle on Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.
“Ibou (Konate) will not be ready for the game,” added Klopp. “Curtis (Jones) is fully back in training.” Thiago began training with the team but then suffered a setback, so we’ll have to take it easy there for a while.
“Obviously, Thiago will use the international break to get up to speed, and I’m pretty sure that should be enough for him then.”
Klopp kept going forward. Mohamed Salah said there was “no offer as far as I know” despite rumoured interest from Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad.
Later that day, British media reported that Liverpool had rejected a £100 million deal from Al Ittihad for Salah, with an additional £50 million in add-ons. Salah inked a three-year contract extension last year.
Liverpool have been linked with a transfer for Ryan Gravenberch of Bayern Munich, with British media reporting that the Dutch midfielder had a medical at the club on Friday.
“We cannot talk about that because nothing has really happened yet,” he said, being noncommittal when asked if Liverpool would strengthen further following the likely arrival of Gravenberch.
“I don’t want to kill the excitement of the people on deadline day.” You just never know. But I’m preoccupied with other matters.”