5 players Liverpool must sell ahead of the 2022-23 Premier League season

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Roberto Firmino could be sold following the acquisition of Darwin Nunez

No team knows the value of a solitary point, and the importance of the difference between a good team and a great team, better than Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s team gave it their all last season’s Premier League, but their best was not good enough to get their hands on the silverware.

Despite losing only two matches throughout the season, the Reds came second in the standings, with Manchester City enjoying a lead of only one point. This time, Klopp and his warriors will be desperate to leave no stone unturned, but it will be easier said than done.

Pep Guardiola has further strengthened his already world-class side, making quality signings in the likes of Erling Haaland and Kalvin Phillips. Though the Kopites have made one statement signing of their own in Darwin Nunez, that might not prove to be sufficient.

However, Liverpool is not a team known for spending heavily in the transfer market, and before they make more quality additions to their squad, they might have to sell a few players who are being used only sporadically.

Check out five players Liverpool must sell this summer in the transfer window:

#1 Naby Keita

Naby Keita is not Liverpool’s first-choice midfielder

Naby Keita is not Liverpool’s first-choice midfielder

Naby Keita is one of those players who are not particularly at the top of Liverpool’s ‘To Sell’ list, but if the club does want to sell a few of their players to raise funds for new arrivals, they could certainly start the procession with Keita.

There was a lot of hype regarding him when he was roped in for £48 million from RB Leipzig, but the Mali international never really hit the ground running. The arrival of Thiago Alcantara last season saw him slipping down further in the pecking order, and he was handed only 14 starts by Klopp in the previous edition of the Premier League.

#2 Roberto Firmino

Like Keita, Roberto Firmino is another player who might not be particularly disliked in the club. Instead, it is quite the opposite as the Brazilian striker is a very popular figure in the team. However, with the Reds splashing their cash on Nunez, Firmino could be offloaded to raise funds.

His number of stars is decreasing with every passing year, and in the 2021/22 season of the Premier League, he was given only 10 starts. Despite Sadio Mane’s departure, Klopp has a plethora of attacking prowess at his disposal, in the likes of Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Nunez. Hence, Firmino could be considered disposable.

#3 Joe Gomez

Back in the 2019/20 season, when Liverpool won the league, Joe Gomez was considered one of the brightest prospects from England, and certainly from the Kopites. He was the preferred centre-back partner of Virgil van Dijk and did an incredible job in matching the Dutchman.

However, his incredible rise was followed by an unfortunate incident where he fractured his leg, and the 25-year-old has never been the same ever since. He has made only 33 appearances in the last two seasons and has been evicted from the England team as well. Hence, it is perhaps the best time to move him on.

#4 Nat Phillips

Nat Phillips has never quite made it to the Liverpool first team

Nat Phillips has never quite made it to the Liverpool first team

The case of Nat Phillips is a strange one. He was signed by Liverpool when he was only 19 years of age, as the Reds’ scouts rated him very highly. Throughout the years, Phillips has never been able to break into the best team of Liverpool, though he has not been let go as well.

Klopp has sent the defender on two loans – once to VfB Stuttgart in Germany, and in the last season, to AFC Bournemouth in the EFL Championship. Phillips was not a regular feature in the Cherries’ line-up as well, and in terms of trying to impress the manager, the player might have run out of time.

#5 Adrian

Liverpool did not pay a single penny for Adrian when they bought him in 2019, and in that season, it seemed to be one of the biggest steals across the globe. Adrian did a fantastic job in deputizing Allison Becker, as and when he was called upon to do so.

To add to that, he was also the Reds’ penalty hero in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup triumph against Chelsea. However, his form has dropped off incredibly in the last two years, and quite unsurprisingly, Caoimhim Kelleher has cemented his position as Liverpool’s second goalkeeper. With many young talents waiting to get an opportunity, Klopp might decide to sell the 35-year-old.

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