Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson could be one of those shipped out by Jurgen Klopp this summer, according to reports on Sunday.
Joe Bernstein of the Mail On Sunday believes Henderson is one of those whose future at Anfield may not be particularly secure, as Klopp plans for a big summer in the transfer market.
The skipper has not found his best form this season, with Emre Can consistently outshining him in central midfield, although a recurring heel problem has hampered him.
The 25-year-old has not managed to stamp his authority on enough matches, with a section of fans growing frustrated in the process.
It is reported that Henderson would cost potential suitors £20 million, which would help Klopp generate cash in order to sign the likes of Mario Gotze and Javier Hernandez.
Prior to Sunday’s Premier League clash with Southampton, the Liverpool manager failed to rule out selling anyone this summer, saying, “nobody in the world, maybe only Messi, is unsellable.”
“If any player comes to me and says I don’t feel comfortable and things like this, and I want to leave, our style of play blah blah, and more money, then you always have to start thinking. That’s all I can say on this.”
In truth, this particular report doesn’t come from a particularly reputable source, and it would still be a surprise if Klopp did decide to sell his current captain.
Granted, Henderson has to improve greatly on his performances in 2015/16, but he has grown into a footballer of real stature, and still has his best years ahead of him.
His energetic, combative style suits the German’s tactics down to the ground, and it should again be stressed that he is far from 100 per cent fit currently.
Elsewhere in the Sunday tabloids, Juventus have been bizarrely linked with a summer move for out-of-favour Liverpool striker Christian Benteke.
The Sunday People claims that the Old Lady see the 25-year-old Belgian as a long-term replacement for Mario Mandzukic, who turns 30 later this year.
Benteke has endured a difficult first season at Anfield, scoring just eight goals and dropping further down the strikers’ pecking order, and it would be a surprise if he was still a Liverpool player next season.
Surely he won’t be plying his trade at Juventus, though.
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