Liverpool in the mix for Ordonez but Brugge slam door shut on January exit

The transfer rumour mill is spinning around Liverpool's potential defensive reinforcements, with reports suggesting the Reds have positioned themselves as frontrunners to land Club Brugge centre-back Joel Ordonez—though the Belgian side appear determined to keep their hands on the Ecuador international.

Liverpool head into their Sunday clash with Fulham in considerably brighter spirits than they were a few weeks back. Having won four of their last five outings across all competitions, Arne Slot's outfit have clawed their way back to fourth in the Premier League standings. It's a far cry from the dire October and November form that saw them tumble down the table, though they remain 15 points adrift of Arsenal's summit.

The defensive department remains a concern for the Reds. While Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk form the core partnership, cover has proven thin on the ground. Summer arrival Giovanni Leoni, signed from Parma as additional centre-half depth, suffered a serious injury early in the campaign, leaving Joe Gomez as the primary backup option. That scarcity has naturally led Liverpool's recruitment team to cast their net wider.

Enter Ordonez. A report circulating last week named Liverpool as the leading contenders to secure the 21-year-old's signature, though Inter Milan have reportedly thrown their hat into the ring. The plot thickens further when you consider Chelsea's involvement—the Londoners had apparently made Ordonez their priority target for 2026, only to withdraw from negotiations. That retreat, according to reports, opened the door for Liverpool to make their move.

Even Ordonez's former coach has weighed in on the speculation. Luis Medina told ESPN Deportes: "Joel was a quiet, very thin, reserved boy. He was actually a striker, and now he might go to Liverpool [rumoured] as a defender. There are things God does that we just can't understand."

The enthusiasm from the Liverpool camp, however, faces a significant roadblock. Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws reports that Brugge have no intention of releasing their prized asset midway through the season. The Jupiler Pro League outfit have made clear that a January departure is "out of the question," despite Liverpool's scouting efforts. The Reds have been tracking Ordonez for some time and dispatched scouts to watch him in action on multiple occasions, but Brugge's stance remains resolute—and Liverpool, sources suggest, are exploring alternative options anyway.

Manager Slot has already tempered expectations about the January window, reminding the outside world that the Reds don't operate with bottomless pockets. Having invested over £400m in summer signings, the Liverpool boss acknowledged the financial realities facing the club.

"The outside world wants to believe we have unlimited money but that is not true," Slot explained in December. "You insiders know what we have brought in to spend. That is the way we work over here. You then have to accept that in certain games during a season you are short of a right full-back. But we are still able to win. I fully believe in that way of working."

So while Ordonez's name may continue to circulate, all signs point to Liverpool's defensive reinforcements coming from elsewhere—if they arrive at all.