Paul Joyce drops major late-night Andy Robertson update as Liverpool take affirmative action

Andy Robertson now looks set to remain at Liverpool for the time being, with the Anfield hierarchy pulling the plug on a proposed transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.

Last week, The Athletic‘s David Ornstein reported that Spurs had been actively working on a deal to sign the Scottish left-back, and as recently as Sunday morning, Fabrizio Romano claimed that negotiations between the two clubs were ‘still ongoing’.

In the aftermath of the Reds’ 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday – in which the 31-year-old came on as a substitute at half-time – both Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk made it clear that they’re yearning for the long-serving defender to stay put, and it now seems that they’ll get their wish.

Liverpool pull plug on Robertson move to Spurs

Just before 9pm on Sunday night, Paul Joyce reported for The Times that Liverpool have informed Spurs that they’re not in a position to sanction an exit for Robertson as things stand.

The north London club had been prepared to pay £5m for the Scotland captain, whose contract at Anfield expires in the summer, with Thomas Frank down to just one natural senior left-back in Destiny Udogie.

While the Reds have considered Spurs’ offer, they ultimately decided against proceeding with the move due to a sparsity of alternatives. Our number 26 hadn’t been agitating for a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and ‘will continue to have a role to play for the remainder of the season’ under Slot.

Liverpool weren’t in a position to let Robertson leave mid-season

Having had Crystal Palace intervene at the 11th hour to block Marc Guehi’s move to Merseyside five months ago, Liverpool have now acted decisively to ensure that they don’t lose Robertson on the cusp of the transfer deadline when defensive options are already threadbare.

It was the only course of action that FSG could realistically contemplate, especially with Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley sidelined by long-term injuries and Joe Gomez being forced off at Bournemouth on Saturday.

We completely understand that, after so many seasons of being a fixed starter for the Reds, it must be frustrating for the 31-year-old to be playing second fiddle to Kerkez, having had just four Premier League starts so far in the current campaign.

However, after a year of substantial flux at Liverpool, Robertson provides a crucial presence in the dressing room with his longevity and leadership, helping to drive standards behind the scenes just as Jordan Henderson and James Milner did in the past in L4.

While we can breathe a sigh of relief for now that the Scot won’t be leaving before next Monday’s deadline, the possibility of a summer farewell remains very much plausible unless he pens a contract extension in the coming months.

FSG may be merely delaying the inevitable, but at least at a time of crisis for the Reds, the hierarchy have taken affirmative action and vetoed a mid-season exit for a player who’s long since secured legendary status at Anfield.

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