5 things Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool must do this summer

#4 Resolve the future of fringe players

Sturridge and Origi are two of many Liverpool players who have uncertain futures

As important as it is for Liverpool to add more depth to the squad, they also need to make a call on the future of many fringe players.

Liverpool sent 14 players out on loan during the 2017/18 season of which Daniel Sturridge, Lazar Markovic, Jon Flanagan, Jordan Williams, Pedro Chirivella, Allan and Connor Randall likely to head out the exit door.

Others like Sheyi Ojo, Ryan Kent and Ovie Ejaria didn’t impress particularly while they were on loan but are highly rated youngsters. Considering the players already at Liverpool and the impending summer arrivals, these players may need another loan spell or move elsewhere to find their feet.

Then there is Taiwo Awoniyi who had an excellent season on loan in Belgium but is still in need of more top-tier experience.

Divock Origi, Harry Wilson and Marko Grujic are the only three loanees who may have a role to play with the first team next season.

Origi left the club on loan to boost his World Cup chances but Wolfsburg’s disastrous season rubbed off on him and he has been left out of the Belgium squad. However, he has proved to be an effective squad player before, racking up 10 and 11 goals in his two season with the club.

Origi’s future also depends on what Klopp decides to do with Danny Ings and Dominic Solanke in the summer. Ings, who turns 26 ahead of the next season, may need a move elsewhere to reboot his career while Solanke, who is highly rated by Klopp, may need regular playing time to refine his raw talent.

Harry Wilson is one player who has surprisingly been given very little game time by Klopp despite impression at the U-23 level. Wilson spent the second half of the season on loan at Hull City, scoring 7 goals and assisting 3 more in 13 league games. It is likely that Wilson will get another loan spell so that he can get more game time which he may not get if he stays at Liverpool.

The situation is quite similar for Marko Grujic who spent the second half of the season on loan at promoted Cardiff City.

Grujic was Klopp’s first signing as Liverpool manager and a player Klopp believes has a future at Liverpool. With Cardiff now in the Premier League, another loan spell there might be a great opportunity for the Serb to get regular Premier League action.

There also decisions to be made on the future of some of the players currently at Liverpool like Simon Mignolet for instance. The Belgian has been demoted to the bench in 2018 and there will be clubs who are keen to sign the Belgian as their #1.

Other like Danny Ward, Adam Bogdan, Ben Woodburn are also players who either need to be sold or loaned out in the summer.