Jurgen Klopp wants to trim his Liverpool squad ahead of the new season and is ready to offload at least ten fringe players, according to reports.
Last season, Klopp led Liverpool to their 19th top-flight title and first since 1990, with the Reds winning 32 of their 38 matches to finish 18 points clear of second-placed Manchester City.
Liverpool have made just one signing so far this summer – bringing Greek defender Kostas Tsimikas to Anfield – and Klopp has suggested the club’s quiet transfer window will continue by insisting he is happy with the quality of his squad.
But, according to Goal, the German manager is ready to sanction the departure of a number of players before the new Premier League season starts.
It is claimed Sheyi Ojo, Ben Woodburn, Rhian Brewster, Harry Wilson, Loris Karius, Marko Grujic and Yasser Larouci – who have all featured for Liverpool’s first team – are set to leave Anfield, either on loan or permanently.
Ojo, 23, has made 13 appearances for Liverpool but none since 2017 and has emerged as a target for Championship outfit Nottingham Forest.
Wales international Woodburn is reportedly attracting interest from Ipswich Town, while Brewster – who impressed on loan at Swansea City last season – is expected to join a Premier League club for the year.
The Premier League champions are open to permanent offers for Wilson, who made one appearance under Klopp last term, and are also hoping to receive an offer for Serbia international Grujic.
German goalkeeper Karius, who of course made costly errors in the 2018 Champions League final, has played his last game for the club and Liverpool would preferably get him and teenage defender Larouci off their books entirely.
Liverpool will also likely offload Nat Phillips, who has been training with Klopp’s senior squad recently, and sell Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi and Polish shot-stopper Kamil Grabara.
Discussing Liverpool’s transfer business last month, Klopp said: ‘Look, I don’t know what will happen. There is a long time to go until October 5.
‘We will deal with our situation like we always have. We will see how much we can or want to spend. We have a big squad at the moment with a lot of young boys.’
Liverpool continue their pre-season schedule on Saturday against Brighton, while they begin their 2020-21 Premier League campaign against Leeds United on September 12.
