Five players from Liverpool could lose their jobs at Anfield when Arne Slot relocates to Merseyside.
The announcement that Liverpool and Feyenoord have reached a compensation deal for the Dutch coach validates that the Arne Slot era will commence at Anfield upon Jurgen Klopp’s departure at the end of the current campaign. Discussions have already shifted to the players that the team hopes to sign in the summer transfer window, in an effort to provide the 45-year-old new manager with a team that can play to his strengths and contend for championships once more.
However, once Slot joins the team, a number of current players will have to deal with unclear futures at Liverpool. These five individuals may become surplus to requirements under the new Reds boss,
LUIS DIAZ
. Mohamed Salah’s future with the Reds was called into question following a confrontation between the Egyptian and manager Jurgen Klopp on the sidelines on April 27, just before Salah was set to replace West Ham. Salah, who is currently 31 years old and in the last year of his contract, has had form issues during the latter part of the season. However, rumors have it that Richard Hughes, the club’s new sporting director, is committed to keeping the legendary forward around through the upcoming season and beyond.
Therefore, the Reds will be interested in offers for Luis Diaz as they try to reassemble after Klopp this summer, since Salah’s spot in the starting lineup seems certain. It is reported that moves for the £50 million-rated winger are being prepared by Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. A profit like this would enable Liverpool to finance transfers for players like Leeds United’s 20-year-old sensation Crysencio Summerville and Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, who are reportedly top Slot targets.
Alcantara Thiago
Liverpool scored a coup when they paid £20 million to recruit Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich in 2020. The midfielder is among the finest in the world, and the Reds scored at a relatively cheap cost. However, the Spanish playmaker has had a string of ailments during his time at Anfield. The sole campaign in which he has started over half of Liverpool’s Premier League games is 2020–21, his debut season with the team. Due to injury, the 32-year-old has only played five minutes in the Premier League this season. In February, he came off the bench in the final moments of a 3-1 loss to Arsenal at the Emirates.
Thiago’s current contract expires at the conclusion of the current campaign, and there is minimal chance of the former Barcelona player coming back given that the Reds are reportedly looking to add midfield reinforcements this summer to bolster the team Slot will take over.
Nunez, Darwin
Darwin Nunez was signed by Liverpool from Benfica two summers ago in a transaction that might have cost up to £85 million, but there has been no indication as of yet that the club is prepared to part with the player. Furthermore, the Uruguayan striker is not without merit. He is one of the league’s most athletic players, capable of playing both wide and centrally, and he adds a chaotic element to his attack that makes him very difficult to stop.
However, his mayhem frequently backfires on Liverpool. Nunez consistently works himself into scoring position and is one of the best in the English top flight at pursuing high-percentage opportunities. When he does, he is among the least dependable finishers in the division. A return of 11 goals and 8 assists in 33 league games this season indicates that Nunez has a top talent waiting to be developed from his unquestionably well-stocked skill set. But for the past two seasons, Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez has been the focal point of Slot’s Feyenoord attack. With 21 goals in the Eredivisie this season, Gimenez has drawn interest from PSG and Real Madrid.
It might not be good news for Nunez if Slot prefers calmness to turmoil in his starting striker.
TSIMIKAS KOSTAS
Just last summer, Kostas Tsimikas signed a new deal with Liverpool; yet, since recovering from a mid-season injury, the Greek left-back has slipped in Klopp’s hierarchy this season. On the left side of the defense,
Joe Gomez,
a natural center-back with experience at right-back, has frequently been chosen over the 27-year-old former Olympiacos player. In August 2020, Liverpool spent £11.75 million to acquire Tsimikas. His sale could aid in financing additional reinforcements for Slot if they are able to recover a comparable figure for him this summer. Nathan Phillips Another position on the Liverpool team that is thought to have been