5 Liverpool first-team players who could leave in January

Despite all the criticism that came his way in the summer for Liverpool's lack of promising transfer activity, manager Jurgen Klopp can look back at the window and deem it a success.

Mohamed Salah's signing has proven to be a masterstroke for the Reds, while Alex Oxlade Chamberlain already looks a better player than what he was at Arsenal. The likes of Andrew Robertson and Dominic Solanke may not be heavily involved in the first-team action, but have done a decent job when called upon by the German manager.

One criticism that does not seem to go away is Klopp's lack of quality defensive options. The January window could be used by the former Borussia Dortmund coach to rope in a few central defenders that could help the Reds secure a top-four berth for the second season in a row and also to have a go at continental glory.

While we are not expecting a major overhaul in January, there could be a few players that will be looking to find a way out of the club due to the lack of playing time or other personal and contractual reasons. Philippe Coutinho seems to be content at the moment, and will thus not be a part of this list.

Here are five players that could be on their way out in January:

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#5 Lazar Markovic

Markovic is yet to play a single minute of first-team football for Liverpool this season

Signed for £20 million back in the summer of 2014, Lazar Markovic seemed like a good future investment made by the club. After impressing at Partizan and Benefica, the Serbian appeared to be destined for a glowing future at Anfield under the tutelage of Brendan Rodgers.

However, Rodgers was soon shown the door at the club, and Markovic never lived up to the hype that surrounded him when he joined the Reds. To get his career back on the right track, the former Benfica starlet spent a few seasons out on loan at Fenerbahce, Sporting CP and Hull City, but failed to make the cut at either of the clubs.

While the 24-year-old is a part of Liverpool's league squad this season, he is yet to make a single appearance for them. On top of that, he isn't even featuring for the reserves - putting his Liverpool future in serious jeopardy.

With Markovic not buying into Klopp's philosophy, he could force an exit from the club in the January transfer window.

#4 Danny Ings

Ings could be on his way out in January if he doesn't get assurances of regular playing minutes

Ings can be labelled as a player with immense potential, but one who failed to reach the astronomical heights expected of him due to a number of injuries. Since joining from Burnley two and a half seasons ago, the Englishman has only made a handful of appearances for the 18-time top division champions.

The Englishman returned to the first-team picture in the Merseyside derby on the 12th of December. He struggled to keep up with the fast-paced nature of the game, particularly because he had spent several months on the sidelines with a career-threatening knee injury sustained in Klopp's first training session at the club way back in October 2015.

Since then, he's only gone on to make 14 appearances for the Merseyside outfit and is fourth in the pecking order of central strikers - with Roberto Firmino, Dominic Solanke and Daniel Sturridge ahead of him.

Klopp is extremely demanding of his players and also expects his attackers to be the team's first line of defence. This means that there is a lot of running to do, and Ings may not be cut out to play the way the German wants to. Thus, he could be on his way out in January with clubs such as West Brom and Newcastle reportedly interested in securing his services.

#3 Marko Grujic

Grujic has made just three league appearances this campaign

The Serbian midfielder was Jurgen Klopp's first signing at Liverpool. Unfortunately, he has failed to live up to his credentials as he has made a meagre 13 appearances for the Reds since August last year.

This season, despite being fully fit, he has struggled to break into the first team. Considered a grade above the reserves and a grade below the current crop of Liverpool midfielders, Grujic has found himself in no man's land. He has made three league appearances off the bench this term which has accounted to only 14 minutes of playing time.

Still only 21, Grujic knows that he has plenty of time to impress Klopp and fight for his place in the Liverpool first team. For doing that, he needs minutes under his belt and could look for a loan move away from Anfield until the end of the season.

With his injury concerns seemingly behind him, the 21-year-old could prove to be a valuable signing for most of the bottom half Premier League clubs that are desperately fighting against the shackles of the dreaded relegation zone.

#2 Daniel Sturridge

Daniel Sturridge has made only five league starts this season

Liverpool fans see Daniel Sturridge as one of the club's finest strikers of the past few seasons, particularly due to his contributions in the 2013/14 campaign when the Reds nearly won the Premier League. Leading the attack alongside Luis Suarez, the duo wreaked havoc upon opposition defences and enjoyed a scintillating campaign for the Merseyside club.

However, since then, Suarez is no more at the club, and Sturridge's constant injury woes have seen him fading from the Liverpool setup. While it may be argued that the 27-year-old may still be devastating if he manages to stay injury free, but that no longer seems to be a possibility.

Klopp has been patient with the English striker and has used him sparingly when fit, but Sturridge's goal returns have been far from impressive. For that reason, Solanke was roped in this summer, and he seems to be ahead of the former Manchester City and Chelsea striker in the pecking order.

The rise of Roberto Firmino has given the Reds someone not only who can find the back of the net on a regular basis but can also assist in the build-up, and has the ability to drop deep to allow the likes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Philippe Coutinho to flourish.

Thus, all these factors could be pivotal in deciding the longevity of Sturridge's Liverpool future.

#1 Emre Can

Can has only six months left on his Liverpool control

The German midfielder's contract runs out at the end of the season and with every passing day, the chances of him leaving in January keep increasing. In two weeks, Can will be able to discuss terms and come to a pre-contract agreement with another club.

Liverpool will not want this to happen, and rather than letting him leave for free in the summer, they could do all they can look to offload him for a decent sum of money in the January transfer window.

Serie A giants Juventus are keen on securing the 23-year-old's signature, and the German is yet to rule out a move away from Anfield either in January or in the summer. Jurgen Klopp, too, in no certain terms, has stated what the future holds for his countryman.

In the past few weeks, there has been little to no update on the future of the German midfielder and him signing an extension seems highly unlikely at the moment. Losing a player of Can's calibre who is nearing his prime within a season or two will undoubtedly be a huge blow for the Anfield faithful.

Can's made over 150 appearances for the Merseyside club and has also established himself as a full German international. His versatility is one of his most impressive qualities, and he would be a beneficial signing for a number of Europe's top sides.