After Brendan Rodgers was sacked mid-way last season, Liverpool Hierarchy did an excellent job and got Jurgen Klopp to Anfield. However the German manager wasn’t given much to adapt to the surrounding and began working with the squad from day one. This summer Klopp will get a full pre-season under his belt, he will have an opportunity to get his ideas across to his players and try out different tactics during the friendlies over the next one month. Klopp will be keen to bring some reinforcements players who suit his style of high-pressing but that will also mean that some players will be shown the door in order to make space for the incoming ones.
Klopp doesn’t have the resources like the Manchester clubs and Chelsea, therefore he will need to sell to add further quality players. The Reds have already brought in Sadio Mane from Southampton, however the job is still unfinished, there is still a lot of gaps in the squad that need to be filled. Every team will be the same as they look to improve on whatever kind of season they had last year. Here are the 3 players we feel will leave Liverpool this summer.
Christian Benteke
Brendan Rodgers splashed out £32.5m for the ex-Aston Villa forward, however his time at Anfield has been one filled with disappointments. He was brought in to replace Luis Suarez following his departure to Barcelona. However the Belgian international failed to live up to the expectations of the fans and the manager. Soon after Rodgers was sacked, Benteke lost his place in the starting XI to Divock Origi. It is unlikely that he is going to get much chance next season especially after a dreadful Euros with his national team. There are rumours linking him to Crystal Palace, something which will be good for the player and the selling club.
Mario Balotelli
It was surprising to see Mario Balotelli moving to Anfield in the summer of 2014, as a replacement to fill the void left by Suarez’s departure. However the 25 year old failed miserably, as he struggled to settle in this Liverpool team. after much frustration the Italian was sent on a season long loan to AC Milan, however the change in surrounding didn’t help him much as he returned with just 3 goals in 23 appearances. Although he has joined his teammates for preseason training, it is most likely that he will move abroad in the coming few weeks.
Jordon Henderson
Klopp is looking to stamp his authority on the Liverpool squad and one of the players who could be a victim of a summer clear out is Jordon Henderson. After a truly appalling season and EURO tournament, Henderson’s abilities are at best mid-level Premier League quality. If Klopp is planning to be successful at Anfield, he will need players with more quality and dedication, something Henderson clearly lacks. It might be best for the midfielder to move on as Klopp looks to rebuild his squad before August 13th.