As the end of the summer transfer window nears, a number of Liverpool players are still likely to leave the club between now and then.
Jurgen Klopp has had a busy summer in the transfer market over the last few months, with seven first-team signings and nine players sold so far.
Loris Karius, Alex Manninger, Joel Matip, Ragnar Klavan, Georginio Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane have all come in, while the high-profile departures have seen Martin Skrtel, Brad Smith, Joe Allen and Jordon Ibe have exited Anfield.
Klopp has a big squad now, having used 39 players in pre-season. Considering Liverpool have no European commitments this season, the German will be keen to offload a number of squad members before the August 31 cut-off.
Here are seven Reds who are still expected to leave the club in the coming weeks.
Andre Wisdom
Having shone as a teenager back in 2012, Andre Wisdom has never kicked on, and looked out of his depth during pre-season. There is clearly no future for him on Merseyside.
The 23-year-old needs to find a new club in order to find some stability, having been loaned out three times by Liverpool in the last three season.
The Championship looks to be his level at the moment. A return to Derby County, for example, would be the right fit for Wisdom.
Tiago Ilori
Ever since arriving for £4 million from Sporting Lisbon in 2013, big things have been expected of Tiago Ilori, but it is clear that his future lies elsewhere.
The Portuguese centre-back has managed just three first-team appearances in three years, and at 23, will not improve enough to be a success story at Liverpool.
A return to his homeland could easily come to fruition before the transfer window closes. It could be he’s loaned yet again.
Lucas Leiva
Lucas Leiva has had more lives at Liverpool than any other player, but this summer really feels like the end for the Reds’ longest-serving player.
Reports linking him with a move to Turkey refuse to go away, and given his lack of legs these days, moving to a slower-paced league seems like the best bet for Lucas.
He has been an excellent servant, but a change of scenery will be beneficial for all parties.
Luis Alberto
There may have been the odd sporadic eye-catching display from Luis Alberto in 2013/14, but he has never looked suited to the Premier League.
There are too many attacking midfield options ahead of him in Klopp’s squad, so he must leave Liverpool in the next couple of weeks.
Alberto did well at Deportivo last season, and a return to La Liga, perhaps to former club Sevilla, looks the most likely outcome.
He hasn’t been handed a squad number and hasn’t featured in pre-season, clearly showing his future is over on Merseyside.
Lazar Markovic
Hard as he has tried to prove his worth this summer, it looks more and more likely that Lazar Markovic will be deemed surplus to requirements by Klopp.
The 22-year-old was loaned out last season, admittedly by Brendan Rodgers, and it is hard to see when his first-team chances will come in 2016/17.
Like so many foreign players, Markovic has found it hard to adjust to life in England, and a return to either Portugal or Turkey would appeal more to his style of play.
It could be that Klopp sees something in his future, so a loan deal would make sense, while an injury to a wide player over the next few weeks could see Markovic remain.
Christian Benteke
The fact that Christian Benteke didn’t play a single minute in pre-season says all you need to know about his Liverpool future. He trained alone at Melwood while the rest of the squad took part in two friendlies last weekend.
The 25-year-old is behind Daniel Sturridge, Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi and Danny Ings in the strikers’ pecking order and that will not change.
Benteke has been heavily linked with moves to West Ham and Crystal Palace, and joining one of those two Premier League clubs would suit him. With West Ham signing Andre Ayew, it looks like Palace are favourites, although Everton could also enter the picture if/when Lukakua leaves Goodison.
Mario Balotelli
If Benteke has no chance of forging a Reds career, what about Mario Balotelli?
The controversial striker continues to become something of a laughing stock, and he has played no part in Liverpool’s summer whatsoever. He trained with the under-21s while the rest of the club toured America.
The Italian striker will likely make a permanent return to Serie A, where Chievo appear to be the front-runners for his signature currently.
There’s been talk of a contract termination, which could happen if there’s no takers before the transfer window shuts.
Fan Comments