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Liverpool have had a fantastic season so far, sitting 25 points clear at the top of the Premier League table with nine games to go before the season was suspended indefinitely due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Reds are just two wins off their maiden Premier League title and have only failed to win two matches this campaign, enduring a draw and a loss to Manchester United and Watford respectively, winning 27 of their 29 league matches.
However, Liverpool were going through a rough patch of form before the league was initially suspended. They were knocked out of the Champions League and the FA Cup in the space of a week and saw their bid to match Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ incredible performance shattered by a 3-0 loss at Watford.
Despite Liverpool’s dominance this season, it is evident that the squad still has room for improvement. Having been relatively quiet during last summer’s transfer window and spending less than £5 million, the Reds might look to the transfer market to further strengthen the squad this time.
Klopp should have a large transfer budget to work with this summer given the club’s lack of transfer activity in recent times.
Before the Reds can add to the squad though, they will need to clear out some deadwood to create some space within the squad, which will help to fund their replacements in the squad.
So here are 8 players Liverpool may look to move on in order to make space and raise funds for their replacements:
#1. Loris Karius
Loris Karius never fully convinced Reds fans during his time at Anfield following his £4.75 million transfer from Mainz in 2016.
His two-year stint in the Liverpool team was inconsistent. The German ’keeper made some spectacular saves and was good with his feet, but was also prone to blunders.
Karius was in and out of the team and never truly wrested the number 1 shirt off Simon Mignolet, who was always waiting in the wings to take over from Karius whenever he entered a patchy run of form.
Towards the end of the 2017-18 season, Karius did actually manage to hold down his position in the team and started to look like the goalkeeper Jurgen Klopp thought he had bought when he brought him to Anfield.
However, all that good work was quickly undone in the second half of the Champions League final, in which Karius made two massive blunders that effectively cost his side the Champions League trophy.
It was at this moment Jurgen Klopp realised he needed a new first-choice goalkeeper, and splashed out £66.8 million on Alisson Becker that same summer.
Karius has spent the last two years on loan at Besiktas, who have no desire to keep him beyond the expiration of that loan deal, and looks certain to be moved on this summer with Alisson and Adrian both ahead of him in the Liverpool pecking order.
Liverpool would expect to get between £5-10 million for Karius were he to be sold on a permanent deal.
#2. Nathaniel Clyne
Nathaniel Clyne has been surplus to requirements at Liverpool ever since Trent Alexander-Arnold burst onto the scene at the start of the 2017-18 season.
Clyne had suffered a long-term back injury and Trent Alexander-Arnold occupied the right-back position in his absence and has not looked back since. Alexander-Arnold is arguably the best right-back in the world at this moment in time and, as a result, Clyne has no chance of regaining a starting berth in this Liverpool team.
At 29-years-old, Clyne will be looking to secure as much first-team action as he can before his career ends and so should be looking for a transfer away from Anfield this summer.
The Englishman’s contract is up this summer and will be let go on a free transfer, given Klopp has no interest in retaining his services.
Although the Reds will not receive a transfer fee for Clyne, the right-back’s £70,000-a-week salary will be removed from the wage bill, not only freeing up a place in the squad for a replacement but also funds for any potential incoming players at Anfield.
#3. Dejan Lovren
Dejan Lovren was close to leaving Anfield last summer, with Roma keen on a loan deal before negotiations broke down.
The Croatian has divided opinion throughout his Anfield career, looking unbeatable at times, but also appearing to be a disaster waiting to happen.
Lovren is currently fourth in the centre-back pecking order at Liverpool, behind Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, and has only started nine games in the league this season.
At 30-years-old, this summer possibly represents Lovren’s final chance to secure a transfer to a big club and play regularly.
With only one year left on his contract, the move would make sense for both club and player, and would come as no surprise to anyone if it happened this summer.
Liverpool will likely demand around £15 million for Lovren this summer, recouping much of the £20 million they paid for the defender back in 2014 and taking his £100,000 per week salary off the wage bill.
#4. Adam Lallana
Adam Lallana is set to leave Liverpool this summer given that his contract is up on 30 June and there are no ongoing talks regarding an extension.
Lallana has enjoyed a relatively successful six-year spell on Merseyside, playing a key role in the team during the first half of his spell at the club.
The 31-year-old has not been a regular in the team in recent years, but the £25 million man has been a valuable squad member and has won the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup during his time at Liverpool.
The Englishman will leave Anfield for free this summer, but his huge £110,000-a-week salary will be taken off the wage bill, opening up the possibility of securing a new signing.
#5. Xherdan Shaqiri
Xherdan Shaqiri has been at Liverpool for two years now, and has never really broken into the starting XI.
In fact, over the past year, Shaqiri has struggled to even get into the matchday squad, having suffered from long-term injuries.
The Swiss international has not made much of an impact at during his time at Anfield, but will always be remembered for providing the assist for Gini Wijnaldum’s strike to equalise for Liverpool in the comeback win against Barcelona on their way to the Champions League trophy last year.
With the arrival of Takumi Minamino from RB Salzburg and the persistent rumours that a move for Timo Werner is imminent, there may be no place left in the squad for Shaqiri.
Furthermore, Shaqiri has been linked with moves to both Roma and Sevilla, with a transfer fee between £25 million and £30 million mooted for the winger.
#6. Pedro Chirivella
Pedro Chirivella joined Liverpool’s academy in 2013 from Valencia and was seen as a future prospect who could potentially fill the role at the base of the Liverpool midfield one day.
Since then though, Chirivella has had three loan spells and only made one first-team appearance for the club.
Given the Spaniard is nearly 23-years-old now, he needs to be playing regular first-team football if he is to fulfill his undoubted potential, meaning Chirivella will likely be keen to leave Anfield this summer.
Chirivella has spoken of his desire to return to Spain and it would not be a surprise to see him end up in La Liga by the start of next season.
The Reds can expect to receive a fee of up to £5 million for his services.
#7. Marko Grujic
The Serbia international was Jurgen Klopp’s first signing at Liverpool, joining for £4.3 million from Red Star Belgrade in January 2016.
Marko Grujic has spent the last two seasons out on loan at Hertha Berlin and has impressed during his spell at the Bundesliga side, especially in his first season at the club.
There is no doubt Grujic would make a great addition for a team of Hertha Berlin’s calibre, but there are question marks regarding what he could add to this amazing Liverpool squad.
The box-to-box midfielder, who can also play in the number 6 and number 8 position, would only be a squad player at most with the Reds and would only fill in when injuries or suspensions start to reduce Klopp’s options in the engine room.
The 24-year-old has a bright future in the game and would benefit from playing every week, which will only happen if Grujic joins another team.
If Liverpool decide to sell the midfielder this summer, they could expect to receive £15-20 million for the Serbian.
#8. Harry Wilson
Harry Wilson is a talented footballer and has proved this season that he is of the required quality to play for a top-flight team.
The Welshman has scored 7 league goals this season, including a fantastic free-kick against Manchester City in 2019.
The 23-year-old deserves to be playing regularly so he can showcase his obvious talent on a weekly basis, especially at his age. Wilson has had this opportunity at Bournemouth this season after successful loan spells at Hull City and Derby County in the Championship previously.
The winger would arguably be sixth-choice in the pecking order of Liverpool’s attack were he to stay on Merseyside next season and would undoubtedly harm his development.
Given that the Reds could demand a fee of around £20 million for Wilson, it may be in everyone’s best interest that the forward is moved on this summer.
