Five Liverpool players could swiftly follow Klopp out of Anfield in summer overhaul – report

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Empire of the Kop

·2 May 2024

Five Liverpool players could swiftly follow Klopp out of Anfield in summer overhaul – report

It’ll be a summer of significant change at Anfield, and it seems that it won’t be just confined to the dugout or the boardroom either.

Arne Slot is set to be the man tasked with building upon the extraordinary work of the departing Jurgen Klopp, while Richard Hughes is gearing up for his first transfer window as the Reds’ sporting director, with a certain Michael Edwards back in situ as the FSG-appointed CEO of Football.

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Those major new arrivals (or return, in the latter case) will likely be plotting an overhaul of the playing squad in the summer, too, according to a report from the Daily Express.

Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara and Adrian are all cited as near-certain departures, with their respective contracts expiring next month, while it’s claimed that Nat Phillips and Caoimhin Kelleher could also move on in search of regular first-team football elsewhere.

The futures of those five players could all be contingent on whether Slot views them as part of his project going forward, but in all probably the vast majority of them will cut their ties with Liverpool over the summer.

Matip and Thiago have both had their 2023/24 season ruined by injury – the latter has played just five minutes in the entire campaign – and their likely exits would free up £300,000 from the Reds’ weekly wage bill (Capology).

Meanwhile, Adrian hasn’t even set foot on the pitch in any game for the club this term, even when Alisson Becker was sidelined for two months with injury during the spring (Transfermarkt).

The chances of any of those three being offered a contract extension appear marginal, although the futures of Phillips and Kelleher seem less clearcut.

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The Irishman has proven to be worthy of first-team inclusion at Liverpool, and it’s only the consistent brilliance of Alisson which has prevented him from being an automatic selection in our strongest XI.

However, the on-loan Cardiff defender might be afforded one final chance at Anfield in pre-season by Slot, unless he pushes for a permanent exit in order to secure regular game-time elsewhere.

The trio whose contracts are approaching their end all look set to go, and it’d be no great surprise if the Reds cash in on the 27-year-old centre-back, but Kelleher is one player they certainly won’t want to lose unless he’s adamant that he wants to leave and/or a tempting offer comes in for him.

Slot, Edwards and Hughes will have some big decisions to make before the summer transfer window even opens.

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