Ex-Liverpool Midfielder Dietmar Hamann Makes Prediction for the Reds' January Transfer Window

Ahead of one of the busiest periods of the season, former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has made a surprising claim regarding his expectations for his former side's business in the upcoming transfer window.

Despite Liverpool making four new signings in the summer, spending over £80m to bring in Dominic Solanke, Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as well as completing a deal that would see RB Leipzig's Naby Keita move to Anfield at the end of the 2017/18 season, the Reds were left somewhat wanting in the summer.

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Their high profile pursuit of Southampton man Virgil van Dijk fell short, leaving the Reds with a somewhat threadbare defence, although Hamann expects Liverpool won't make any additions in the January window.

Speaking to AskFans, Hamann revealed his expectations for Liverpool's business throughout January, saying: "They need a centre-back and a holding midfielder.

"These positions haven't been addressed in the summer, so I don't think the manager will address them now because he didn't feel the need to bring somebody in.

"They set their sights on Van Dijk, that didn't happen for some reason and he said he was happy with what he's got.

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"Lately they have defended much better than they did at the start of the season. I don't think they conceded a goal from open play for six games which is no mean feat in the Premier League.

"January is then always a hard time to buy players because the good teams don't want to sell their best players and then you go further down the league and you have to pay over the odds because everybody wants to stay up.

"I don't think we will see any players coming into Liverpool. The problem is, the people Liverpool will be interested in, Man City, Man Utd and all the others will be too. Maybe Bayern, PSG and Real Madrid too. There's a lot of competition and prices are very inflated.

"Even defenders you are looking at £40-£50m, so it gets harder and harder to buy players."