Liverpool boss Arne Slot shuts down Khvicha Kvaratskhelia speculation

In his latest press conference, Slot expressed a sense of fatigue towards the transfer speculation that seems to peak during the January window.

"We are often linked with players," Slot said. "When you mentioned 'linked with', I wondered which club would come up next. But yes, we are linked with Kvaratskhelia.

"What I make of that is that this is January, and I think I said it after the West Ham United game, please don't disappoint me, please come up with all these players and clubs that are supposedly in our interest. Or the ones that don't play much for us are going to go somewhere else.

"That speculation is what happens now. And nine out of ten times, or 99 out of a hundred times, at the end of the window, it becomes clear that almost all these stories weren't true."

Despite the buzz around Kvaratskhelia, whose contract situation at Napoli has made him a hot commodity, Liverpool's current squad depth on the left wing is robust.

With players like Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, and even Darwin Nunez capable of filling that role, the need for another winger might not be as pressing as some fans might hope.

Moreover, Slot has also addressed the situation regarding Harvey Elliott, whose future at Liverpool has been a topic of speculation, especially with interest from clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Brighton. "Recent weeks heâ™s been in a lot but like it is for all the others, they are in competition with the others. He was unlucky he got injured and was out for a long time. It's not easy to come back and be at your best immediately in this league with its quality.

"We need to find a balance between giving playing time to get players back to their best and also being able to win," Slot has said.

As Liverpool prepare for their upcoming FA Cup match against Accrington Stanley, Slot might see this as an opportunity to give some of the squad players a chance to prove their worth, potentially including Elliott.

The transfer market's dynamics are complex, with Kvaratskhelia reportedly preferring a move to PSG, where negotiations are already underway. "Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's preference is to join PSG, having been sold on a move last year," reported transfer expert Ben Jacobs on social media.

"PSG are exploring various formulas to see if a deal is possible. Napoli's asking price is 80 million euros, but they are prepared to sell in January. This is a change from their summer stance."

With Liverpool's eyes set on multiple trophies this season, the focus remains on managing the existing squad effectively while navigating the transfer window's noise.