Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a major blow to their hopes of signing Andy Robertson. The 31-year-old defender was heavily linked with a move to the Lilywhites over the weekend, but Liverpool appear to have pulled the plug on any potential deal.
football.london understands thatThomas Frank wanted to bolster his squad with more experience and leadership, hence the arrival of Conor Gallagher earlier in the transfer window. Last week, Spurs agreed a deal in principle with the Reds to sign Robertson following the conclusion of the UEFA Champions League 'league phase' on Wednesday night.
However,the deal hinged on whether Liverpool could recall Kostas Tsimikas from his season-long loan at Roma. As it stands, the reigning Premier League champions haven't been able to do so.
It's understood that the Italian giants are trying to find a replacement for the 29-year-old defender, so the deal could still happen. But, with the transfer window set to slam shut at 7pm on Monday, February 2, time is running out.
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It's also understood that Robertson, whom Liverpool signed from Hull City for just £10m in July 20217, hasn’t pushed for a move this month.
Speaking to reporters following the Reds' defeat to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday evening, Virgil van Dijk insisted that he wants Robertson to stay at the club. The Liverpool skipper said: "He's my vice-captain.
"Robbo is a very important member of our team, and I want him to stay, but whatever happens, let's see."
Robertson has struggled to force himself into Arne Slot’s side this season, starting just four times in the Premier League this season. The Scot came off the bench at half-time on the south coast.
When asked whether he expects Robertson to be at Anfield for Wednesday night’s clash against Qarabag in the UEFA Champions League, Van Dijk said: “That's not on me, is it?"
The Netherland international was then asked about his memories of Robertson, but he kept his cards close to his chest and insisted that he would only ‘speak about that’ if the move materialised.
Meanwhile, Slot refused to comment on Robertson’s future at the club. The Liverpool boss said: “What do you think my answer is going to be?
“Have I ever said anything about transfers in front of these microphones. My answer is always the same, and it's quite boring to always give the same answer - we don't talk about transfers in public."
Following Spurs’ draw to Burnley on Saturday afternoon, Frank was also asked about Robertson’s future. The Dane said: “Just on that one, in general, you don't know me that well, I don't speak about players that are not in the club, except Ronaldo and Messi. So that's no comment.”
