Seven Liverpool stars for sale, including ‘excellent’ player Steven Gerrard

Liverpool’s Premier League title defense did not go as planned, but don’t expect a full-scale rebuild at Anfield this summer.

Jurgen Klopp’s side may have a lot of work to do domestically just to secure a top four finish, but they remain a force to be reckoned with – as their decimation of RB Leipzig in Champions League.

They will face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals without fear and it is entirely plausible that two years after winning the trophy they will make another final in May.

Considering this is Istanbul, the scene of their unlikely triumph in 2005, that would be very fitting.

Behind the scenes, attention has already turned to summer and what is needed to make 2021-2022 run more smoothly.

For Klopp, this mainly means bringing his current harvest of Kop back to 2018-2020 levels.

“I don’t think it’s time for massive reconstruction,” he said at the end of February. “This year’s team hasn’t had the chance to play together once. I think it would make sense to take a look.”

But it also means some tinkering to its main group: “Of course, little readjustments are going to happen.”

Ibrahima Konate, the RB Leipzig defender Klopp wanted in January – but just knew he couldn’t get it when his side were most desperate, especially considering they were facing RBL in Europe – could be the one of those to come.

Ozan Kabak on loan could well be another; This year’s experience of having three senior centerbacks and then relying on Fabinho to fill the gap when needed has failed dramatically. This will not happen again.

Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez will of course also come back from a serious injury and if they return to their best level the whole squad will be transformed.

It’s also possible for Harvey Elliott, on loan at Blackburn this quarter, to come back and make a first team his own. The opportunities will be there for the teenage winger, who Klopp is keen not to stifle.

As they will for Curtis Jones, especially with the likely departure of Gini Wijnaldum; There is no indication that the Dutchman is signing a new contract or that Liverpool are suddenly increasing the offer which has been on the table since last year.

But a long way from Wijnaldum’s exit, what will ultimately happen this summer is a lot of fringe players will be leaving.

Over the past few summers, sporting director Michael Edwards has been playing hard in negotiations over a number of near Anfield men keen to attract maximum value, especially those who are on deals at long term.

Now, some of those who have only made loans or who have stayed behind will be more easily dealt with.

The main ones are Divock Origi, Xherdan Shaqiri and Harry Wilson.

Origi has long been considered a super-under but he fell in order after Diogo Jota arrived and the Belgian is at the stage where he needs more regular action.

The return of Elliott and Takumi Minamino – who will be given a new opportunity to claim his rights in the preseason – makes Shaqiri available. The Swiss turn 30 in October and this is the last chance for Liverpool to get good fees and even make a profit on his £ 13million spend.

Wilson would have been sold last year if an offer of £ 20million had arrived. Instead, he had to leave on loan at Championship Cardiff; At 23, the Welsh international is looking for a permanent place to play regularly and that £ 20million fee will be waived.

Sheyi Ojo, also 23, is also on loan at Cardiff and the club will listen to the offers.

Backup goalkeeper Adrian will not be offered a new contract after falling to third pick between sticks and will leave as there is hope Porto will cross paths with Marko Grujic, the Serbian impressing on loan. Even if they don’t, it is for sale at the right price and it is hoped that it will find a new home in Europe.

Then there’s Ben Woodburn, hunched over for stardom after becoming the club’s youngest goalscorer at 17, 45 days in 2016 and whom Steven Gerrard hailed as “excellent” by making him leader of his Under-18 team. years the following year.

Since then, things haven’t quite gotten better, both with the Reds’ first team and on loan.

Now 21, he has just over a year left on his contract and, as Liverpool Echo recently mentioned, he will be allowed to move on if a decent opportunity presents itself.

Add to these seven that they are happy to trade – and Wijnaldum that they are less happy to lose – the young players who, while promising, need more experience in the first team, and there will be more only income releases at Anfield this summer.

This will help add money to the club’s coffers and is seen as the best way to help get Klopp’s squad back to where they want to be next year; In the middle of the Premier League title photo.

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