Liverpool: Journalist hints at big-name summer exits

Journalist Ryan Taylor has hinted that Liverpool could make some high-profile summer sales this year, in the same manner as Gini Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane’s departures in previous windows.
The Lowdown: Massive summer ahead
The Reds have had an extremely challenging season, with too many key players not performing, and both mental and physical tiredness appearing to hold them back.
This summer is a massive one in Liverpool’s recent history, with transfer funds surely having to be made available by FSG, especially in terms of midfield additions.
It could be that some individuals leave the club, too, and it may even be that a high-profile name heads out of the Anfield exit door.
The Latest: Journo hints at high-profile exits
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor was asked if he could see a Wijnaldum or Mane-like departure at Liverpool, to which he responded:
“Absolutely, because we’ve seen Georginio Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane leave. They’re in the biggest rut of the Jurgen Klopp era, arguably, so why wouldn’t that be the case?
“I feel like Klopp needs to keep a core. The Wijnaldum and Mane sales will haunt Liverpool forever. They just really did not make sense to me.
“I know Klopp’s been keen to make an example, with the likes of Philippe Coutinho, of the fact that nobody is bigger than the club. I know Wijnaldum’s representatives and the player himself were looking for a contract more reflective of his value to the team. Once he didn’t get that, obviously he was shown the door, but I feel like it was a bad decision.”
The Verdict: No need to sell a star man
There are arguments to make either way when it comes to Wijnaldum and Mane – some feel they should have been retained and others think they were past their very best – but it would be a surprise to see similar happen this summer.
The Reds certainly have certain players who it makes sense to move on, with Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain standing out, given their injury-prone nature and the fact that their contracts expire this summer.
While many top players have underwhelmed this season, from Trent Alexander-Arnold to Virgil van Dijk, they all remain absolutely massive players moving forward, with potential midfield signings making a world of difference, such as Jude Bellingham.
To sell one of them or a player of similar importance would make no sense at all and the hope is that some top players come in to aid the current heroes.
