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As January edges closer, there's going to be increased talk of potential transfers for Liverpool even though Brendan Rodgers downplayed the club's focus on any additions. The manager was right to do so and will likely be tasked with responding to speculation again, but his focus needs to be on continuing to steer Liverpool back in the direction of successful results and more polished performances rather than the offal's latest slideshow of the 43 top-ranked transfer targets.
The talk will be there whether or not it's acknowledged, though, and for many the focus needs to be squarely on those who can have an instant impact in what's been a challenging campaign thus far. There hasn't been much in the way of links for that type of player thus far, but what we have seen is continual talk of a move for more promising younger talent. That's been encouraging and mildly concerning, with most content to see the club stockpile players for the future so long as it's not at the expense of any signings that would immediately benefit the first team.
One of the more frequently mentioned players for the future is Norwegian 15-year-old Martin Ødegaard, who's found himself connected to some of the continent's biggest clubs in a season that has seen him become the youngest-ever player break through for the national side. Talk of a "dream move" to Anfield ensured that Liverpool would be included in any sort of discussion of a move, and that's only going to continue after a fresh round of speculation that the youngster visited Merseyside last night.
@Robish13 shit photo, excluding coutinho but that is him in the centre and his dad on the right pic.twitter.com/fLyasgj3yW
— Pedley (@Pedley7) December 3, 2014
That is supposedly Ødegaard and his father at dinner with Philippe Coutinho on a recent tour of the city, which, according to the Telegraph, also included a visit to Melwood. It seems credible because people need to eat food to live, and Ødegaard is apparently a person, so eating at a restaurant is entirely plausible.
Whether or not that translates to a signature in January or beyond remains to be seen, and hopefully Liverpool's plans for the coming transfer window include players at Ødegaard's stage of development as well as those that might arrive with the promise of immediately pushing the club's first team forward.
