It’s a new dawn in Liverpool as Arne Slot is ready to take the club to new heights. Last season, the Merseysiders fumbled in the Premier League after a promising start, and the new manager would be keen to one-up his predecessor.
No players have been signed yet, but as the rebuild starts under the supervision of Sporting Directors, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, there are a few players the Reds could do without.
Here are the top five players Liverpool should sell before the season begins:
#5 Fabio Carvalho
Fabio Carvalho arrived in Liverpool with a big reputation ahead of the 2022-23 season. While securing promotion for Fulham from the Championship a season before, he scored 11 goals and grabbed 8 assists. He looked like a real deal at Anfield after scoring two goals in 5 days including an injury-time winner against Newcastle.
However, his form did not last as the season progressed and joined RB Leipzig on loan at the start of the next season but things did not go as expected in Germany. The Portuguese attacker only featured in 8 games, spent most of his time on the bench and returned to Merseyside.
To get more first-team experience, the player was sent on another loan, to Hull City, where he finally found his feet by scoring 9 and assisting 2 more. Carvalho, still 21 years young, needs more game time for his development which he is unlikely to get ahead of Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones and would benefit from a move.
#4 Nathaniel Phillips
Nathaniel Phillips needs regular game time to salvage his career
Nathaniel Phillips was instrumental during the 2020-21 Premier League campaign for Jurgen Klopp in place of an injured Virgil Van Dijk. The Englishman’s 20 appearances for the Reds helped them to reach the quarter-final of the Champions League and the third-place finish in the league.
But since then, Phillips has been on loan thrice, twice to the Championship teams and once to Celtic. He could not make any real impact for Liverpool when he was at the club during the 2022-23 season and was demoted to the right-back position.
With Konate, Gomez, and even a younger Quansah getting a nod ahead of him, this seems like the right time to move on for the 27-year-old to get more minutes under his belt.
#3 Kostas Tsimikas
Kostas Tsimikas became the second Greek footballer to represent Liverpool when he signed from Olympiacos at the start of the 2020-21 season. Though he barely played during his first season, he quickly established himself as a solid backup for Andy Robertson.
The left-back has registered 16 assists in his 86 appearances for the club which more than makes up for his lack of goals. He was also integral to Klopp’s EFL Cup successes in 2022 and 2024.
But despite enjoying a decent career for the Reds, time is running out for Tsimikas. He’s approaching his thirties and is unlikely to impose himself as the first choice. It would make sense for the FSG to cash in on the Greek when they can get a good value and sign a player who can challenge Robertson for his spot.
#2 Caoimhin Kelleher
Caoimhin Kelleher is too good to play as a back-up goalkeeper
It’s fair to say that the Reds wouldn’t have won the EFL Cup last season without Kelleher. The Irishman made a series of outstanding saves throughout 120 minutes in the final against Chelsea.
It was hardly surprising as it was a recap of his performance from the EFL Cup final two years ago against the same team. In the last 5 years, Kelleher stepped up whenever he got a chance, especially when Alisson was injured during the crucial time last season.
However, his towering consistency and commendable efforts would not topple the Brazilian from his top spot. Moreover, Heimir Hallgrimsson, the Republic of Ireland manager has urged the Corkman to leave Anfield to save his International career. The player who joined the Melwood Academy at 16 is open to a new challenge and is expected to move as soon as the club signs a new backup.
#1 Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah has achieved remarkable success in England. Ever since he joined from Roma in 2017, he’s been the most important player for Liverpool. The Egyptian King is third in the club’s all-time scorers’ list with 210 goals while finishing as a top-scorer for 7 seasons and winning 3 Premier League Golden Boots.
Last season, he also became the first player to register 10+ goals and 10+ assists in three consecutive seasons. No player in the league is on par with him and very few players in the world are but selling a 32-year-old player with a year left in his contract for an excellent price could be a fantastic piece of business in the long term.
As Wataru Endo recently revealed the club’s plans to replace the left-footed winger to the Japanese media outlet, Mo’s end in Merseyside could be closer than it appears.