Liverpool are currently battling it out with Manchester City for the league title this season, which is a testament to the strength of their typical first team. But what about the rest of the players that make up the substitutes and reserves? At what point does the manager decide that enough is enough for the individuals who consistently under-perform and boot them out?
In this list, you’ll come across five players who I believe are simply deadwood at Liverpool, and should be sold in January. Failure to do so would probably only backfire on the Reds, as the players’ price evaluations are only going to decline from here; so, if they want any of their money back from what they paid, they should act swiftly.
#5 Daniel Sturridge
Although Daniel Sturridge can be capable of spectacular things on his day, this has become more and more of a rarity in recent years. Some suggest that defenders have sussed out his style of play, so are able to halt his attacks quickly, rendering him useless.
Sturridge enjoyed his best spell with Liverpool back in the 2013/2014 campaign, where he made 29 appearances and scored 21 goals. Sadly, this wasn’t to be repeated, as the former England international has failed to enter double-digits for goals scored since that time, due to both injuries and poor performances.
Desperate to get game time, he was shipped out on loan to West Bromwich Albion in January 2018, but made very little impact. He played six times, four as a substitute, but didn’t score once. West Brom were relegated that season.
This season Sturridge has had slightly more involvement, appearing in nine matches (seven as a substitute), and scoring twice for the Reds. But with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane playing as well as they do each week, it’s hard to see where Sturridge can fit into the squad. He’s simply nowhere near good enough to compete with them.
Where might Daniel Sturridge go?
There’s no doubt that Sturridge could still do a job in the Premier League, but it would have to be with a team closer to the foot of the table if he realistically wanted game time. Newcastle United could be a possibility.
Alternatively, he could venture abroad and experience different leagues instead. Inter Milan were briefly interested in him last season, as were Roma. However, he would have to take a slash in salary to move abroad, as it’s unlikely a club will pay anywhere near to his £130,000-per-week wages.
#4 Lazar Markovic
I had included Lazar Markovic in my previous list of players Liverpool should sell back in the summer, and was very surprised to see that he’d somehow managed to keep his place.
Markovic appeared in 19 matches for Liverpool in his first season back in 2014/2015. But he hasn’t made a single appearance for the club since that time. So why is he still there?
Klopp sees the 24-year-old as surplus to requirements, so Liverpool will surely try and offload him in January.
Where might Lazar Markovic go?
Despite some interest from abroad, no bids materialised for Markovic in the summer. It’s unlikely that anything will spring up for him in January, either, but with the Reds so anxious to get rid of him, they might take a very low price just to see the back of him.
Markovic would be ideal for a Championship club, as he proved his strength at that level during his brief spell with Hull City a couple of years ago. But he is yet to be firmly linked with any side, as of yet.
#3 Alberto Moreno
Alberto Moreno has found himself plunged into obscurity, thanks to the brilliant performances of Andrew Robertson. Moreno only serves as a utility player for the Reds now, instead of the trusted starter he once was back in 2015.
So far this season, Moreno has played just two matches. The season before, just 16. It’s clear that he’s simply there to fill in the gaps when other players get injured, but why does he allow himself to be just that? There’s no doubting that Alberto Moreno can be a superb player on his day, which begs the question as to why he hasn’t forced a move elsewhere, as he’d surely be a starter in most teams in the Premier League.
Where might Alberto Moreno go?
With Moreno’s contract up at the end of the season, now would be the best time for Liverpool to offload him. According to TeamTalk, Marseille and Sevilla are the most likely options for the Spaniard this winter.
#2 Loris Karius
Loris Karius had quite a mixed campaign last season, ultimately showing that he can’t be trusted between the sticks. As a result, Alisson Becker was signed in a record deal, and Karius was shipped out on loan to Besiktas.
To nobody’s surprise, however, Karius has flourished in the Turkish league. But this isn’t enough to prove to anybody that he’s capable of performing as well in the Premier League, as the two leagues are many levels apart in terms of quality.
Where might Loris Karius go?
As stated above, Besiktas will be the frontrunners for his signature, but there could still be interest from Premier League sides closer to the foot of the table. And if Karius wishes to remain in England, he’ll find it difficult to turn down these offers.
#1 Nathaniel Clyne
Once an inevitable starter for Liverpool, Nathaniel Clyne now spends more of his time recovering from injury than he does out on the pitch. He went from appearing in virtually every Premier League game in the 2016/2017 campaign with 37 appearances, to a mere three (one of them a substitution) the following season, to nothing at all this season.
To add to that, Clyne has to compete for his right-back role with Trent Alexander-Arnold, a player who shows huge promise and performs consistently week in, week out. What hope does 27-year-old Clyne now have for a starting place in the side?
Where might Nathaniel Clyne go?
The Mirror have claimed that Cardiff City manager, Neil Warnock, is set to swoop in for Clyne in January. The deal is reportedly only going to be a loan, but it would provide Clyne with the important game time that he needs to progress now.
Cardiff currently sit 14th in the league, but are a mere 5 points from the bottom of the table. A player of Clyne’s ability could make a profound difference to their hopes of survival, but it would still be a drop in quality for the former England international.
