Liverpool expected to turn down Tottenham bid for Andy Robertson as free exit considered

The transfer saga surrounding Robertson has taken a dramatic turn in the final days of the winter window. According to multiple British media outlets, Tottenham submitted an official bid worth approximately £5 million for the Scotland captain. 

The North London club’s move was a direct response to the devastating news regarding veteran defender Ben Davies. Davies recently suffered a severe ankle fracture that required complex surgery, leaving him sidelined for a significant period.

However, a recent report from The Athletic confirms that the deal has effectively collapsed. Despite advanced talks between the two clubs last Friday, Liverpool have decided to "pull the plug" on the move. 

Head coach Arne Slot is reportedly concerned about his own defensive frailty. If Robertson were to leave, Liverpool would be left with only Milos Kerkez as a natural senior left-back for the remainder of a grueling campaign.

The Reds did explore various contingency plans to facilitate Robertson’s exit. Their primary objective was to recall Kostas Tsimikas from his loan spell at AS Roma. Nevertheless, the Italian side, led by sporting director Frederic Massara, showed little interest in sanctioning the Greek defender’s return. 

Even though Tsimikas has not been a regular starter under manager Gian Piero Gasperini, Roma are currently competing for the Serie A title and refuse to weaken their squad. With less than five days remaining until the transfer deadline, Liverpool's leadership concluded that finding a suitable replacement would be nearly impossible. Consequently, Robertson is now expected to remain at Anfield until his contract expires this summer.

Under the new era of Slot, Robertson’s role has shifted significantly. Now 31 years old, the Scotsman has struggled to maintain his trademark high-intensity fitness levels. This season, he has made 20 appearances across all competitions, but the majority of these have come as a second-half substitute rather than a member of the starting XI.

This stay at Anfield appears to be a final farewell tour. Robertson is widely expected to depart as a free agent at the end of the season, marking the end of a legendary era. Since joining from Hull City for a bargain £8 million in 2017, Robertson has become a defensive icon. 

Over 364 appearances, he has recorded 12 goals and 68 assists, setting the record for the most assists by a defender in Premier League history. His trophy cabinet is equally impressive, boasting 2 Premier League titles, the Champions League, the FA Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.

On the other side of the negotiation table, Tottenham remain desperate for left-back reinforcements to support Destiny Udogie. While Spurs recently completed the signing of 19-year-old Brazilian talent Souza from Santos, head coach Thomas Frank remains cautious about relying solely on a teenager. Beyond Udogie and the newly-arrived Souza, Frank may have to resort to makeshift solutions, such as utilizing Micky van de Ven or Archie Gray out of position, as the club faces a challenging race for European qualification.