The ECHO assesses a fascinating few days concerning the future of modern-day Liverpool legend Andy Robertson, whose move to Tottenham Hotspur is now off
When Arne Slot made Andy Robertson his vice-captain at Liverpool in the summer, these last few days won’t have been how the head coach envisioned the long-serving defender spending the final week of the January transfer window.
After Trent Alexander-Arnold had decided to up sticks to Real Madrid, Slot was in the market for a new deputy to club captain Virgil van Dijk and it was Robertson who fended off strong competition from Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker to get the nod.
Slot's thinking for overlooking Salah was the idea that both Van Dijk and the Egyptian would, more often than not, be in the same team together on the pitch. The same applies to Alisson, whose quiet nature still resonates in the dressing room. When the Brazil international speaks, his team-mates listen.
Robertson, thanks to signing of £40m Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth, was less likely to be featuring as often in the same starting line-ups as Van Dijk, and his leadership qualities at international level dovetailed nicely with his standing inside the squad itself as he approached his ninth season with a CV as glittering as anyone else in the 21st century at Anfield.
Just a few months later, the vice-captain has been stood at a genuine crossroads. The approach from Tottenham Hotspur last week came as something as a surprise to some at Liverpool but it is a plan the Londoners were looking to bring forward after initially looking to jostle for position with a litany of other interested parties to take the defender on a free transfer this summer.
A fee of around £3m plus add-ons had been reported but, before confirmation came through last night that the plug had been pulled on talks between the clubs, it was stressed to the ECHO that no decision had been made yet by player or the Reds, even though there was a willingness by key figures on Merseyside to recognise and respect the wishes of a someone who has proven, pound for pound, to be one of their greatest signings in decades, having joined from Hull City for just £8m in 2017.
That, in fact, was something Robertson himself was keen to highlight when he spoke about his future in November and more recently after the 4-1 win over Barnsley in the FA Cup.
"They've done everything for me in terms of me and my family," he said when asked about the state of play in November after the 3-0 loss to Manchester City. "I think I've not been too bad for them in terms of signing from Hull for £8million and what I've done."
At the time, Robertson revealed he had yet to be approached over new terms and claimed that while he was relaxed, it was a situation that would "probably start taking over" his life the closer it got towards the end of a deal signed in 2021.
Just a few months earlier, in a chat with Reds legend Jamie Carragher at a Football For Change charity lunch, which was attended by the ECHO, Robertson outlined his belief that he can still be an important figure for Slot as the next stage of his squad building prepared to begin as champions.
"I have only got a year left," Robertson said. "So I hope all you guys (the fans) can help me with making the same noise around a new contract as you did with Mo and Virgil's! Maybe you (Carragher) can stop linking the club with other left-backs as well!
"No look, I've had eight wonderful years so far and I have a year left. I am not as young as I once was but I love this club and I have had some great memories here, so let's see what the future holds.
"I still believe I can still produce good performances and some really good performances and I think I have done that this season, so I still think I can produce at the top level and if I can do that then that is where I belong and hopefully I can stay here for many years to come."
Robertson might have left in June after contact from Atletico Madrid before the La Liga side opted to sign Matteo Ruggeri from Atalanta. And ,while the 31-year-old admitted staying on Merseyside would be the preferred option when speaking after the win over Barnsley, that came with a caveat of needing to see what offers were on the table both from Liverpool and other clubs.
He said: "We’ve had chats now which will remain private. I've spoken to them and we’ll see what happens. Would I like to stay? Yes, but it’s a difficult question to ask. I’ve got five months left and we need to see the option to stay or if there’s options to go and things like that.
"I’ll sit down with my family and decide. After a stressful summer, I’m just trying to enjoy being a part of it, and being a Liverpool player. I wanted to qualify for the World Cup and thankfully we’ve managed to do that. I need to see what myself and my family want moving forward."
His belief that he can continue operating at the elite level is what is drove the interest from Tottenham. "He wants to play" has been the consistent message returned by several at Liverpool when the ECHO has made checks on the situation in recent days. Right now, it is Kerkez, 10 years his junior, who has the shirt.
But having seen Joe Gomez depart through injury in Saturday's 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth, Slot is down to the bare bones defensively.
Losing an influential operator like the popular Robertson for what is a relative pittance jarred with the reality of the situation in Liverpool's defensive department right now.
Slot explaining his decision to replace Kerkez with Robertson at half-time at the Vitality over fitness fear for the young Hungarian also chimed with the idea of letting the 2017 capture leave this month without an adequate replacement.
That said, the club was mindful of Robertson's own hopes and it is fair to say that had it not been the legendary left-back in the position he was, Liverpool would not have entertained any talks this month.
But, after a fascinating few days, it’s a delicate situation that has now been resolved.