Andy Robertson’s move to Tottenham Hotspur is reportedly not going to happen because Liverpool has chosen to keep the Scottish left-back even though Robertson was previously said to be one step away from joining the North London club.
The decision was taken because Liverpool coach Arne Slot still needed the player’s energy amidst the busy competition schedule.
“I think I need as many of my players as possible. I was thinking of playing Robbo (Robertson) in the first half to ensure Milos stays fit until the end of the season, because this squad has a lot of games to play,” Slot said, as quoted by TeamTalk on Monday .
He emphasized the importance of player rotation to prevent Liverpool from being hit by an injury storm.
“I have to be smart in managing the players too, because we don’t want anyone else to get injured,” he added.
Previously, Liverpool opened negotiations with Tottenham because they did not want to lose Robertson for free when his contract expires next summer.
On the other hand, Robertson is said to need more playing time to maintain his physical condition ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
This situation briefly opened up the possibility of a transfer. However, during the negotiations, Liverpool also tried to bring Kostas Tsimikas back from AS Roma.
The attempt failed after Roma admitted they did not have a suitable replacement, thus refusing to release Tsimikas.
This situation made Liverpool immediately stop talks with Tottenham and retain Robertson.
The decision reportedly disappointed Robertson. However, Liverpool had good reasons to keep him.
The Reds are currently experiencing a defensive crisis after Conor Bradley and Giovani Leoni were sidelined by injuries.
If Robertson is released, Liverpool will only have Milos Kerkez as a left-back option, while the team is still competing in three different competitions and needs adequate squad depth.