da wazamba： The 2016 summer transfer window was an intriguing one at Liverpool.
da roleta： It represented Jurgen Klopp’s first real chance of imprinting his own ideas onto a Reds squad he inherited from Brendan Rodgers in October 2015.
The German gaffer certainly made some changes, parting with a whopping 14 players whilst signing six at a combined cost of just under £70million.
But was it enough to propel Liverpool back to the promised land of regular Champions League football or even domestic titles? Likewise, considering the deadwood that piled up under Rodgers, have the Reds moved enough of it on?
Recently, we’ve teamed up with 7 Of The Best to bring you a footballing treat for the season. It’s free to play and the best team each week wins £1,500, as well as monthly prize of £4,000 for the best individual. Want to win bigger? Nab yourself a whopping £500k if you get all seven of your selections correct for seven consecutive weeks.
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So with our new chums 7OTB in mind, we’ve taken a look at seven players Liverpool should have sold during the summer…
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SIMON MIGNOLET
Liverpool signed two goalkeepers this summer in the form of Alex Manninger and Loris Karius, but a revolution between the sticks should have also seen Simon Mignolet leave the club.
The Belgium international is a talented shot-stopper but his errors have cost the Reds dearly since signing from Sunderland three years ago. If there’s one silver lining, it’s that Mignolet signed a five-year contract in January – so the Merseysiders have protected his value at the very least.
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LUCAS LEIVA
The hesitation to part with Lucas Leiva is certainly understandable; he’s Liverpool’s only out-and-out defensive midfielder, has always been a great servant to the club and can even fill in at centre-back in extremis.
That being said, the 29-year-old is well past his best and rather tellingly hasn’t featured for the Reds so far this season.
Likewise, parting with the ageing Brazilian could have freed up some game-time for promising youngsters Cameron Brannagan and Marko Grujic.
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ALBERTO MORENO
There can be no greater humiliation for a full-back than finding yourself below James Milner in the pecking order.
That’s not a dig at the England international, who is a terrific all-round player; but when a midfielder’s being shoehorned into the backline at your expense, you know something’s dreadfully wrong.
Not only did Liverpool fail to find a replacement for Alberto Moreno during the summer, but they also ended up keeping hold of the wayward Spaniard.
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LAZAR MARKOVIC
Liverpool have loaned out £20million flop Lazar Markovic to Sporting Lisbon but the Anfield outfit should have got rid of the Serbian international permanently.
The 22-year-old was woeful during his first season on Merseyside and didn’t exactly impress on loan with Benfica last term, managing just ten starts in the Super Lig to produce a return of two assists.
It always feels cruel writing off a player so early in his career but the failed winger surely has no future at Anfield. Klopp should have cut Liverpool’s losses on the youngster.
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MAMADOU SAKHO
Mamadou Sakho was sent home from Liverpool’s pre-season tour for three breaches of club discipline but somehow still remains a Reds player.
It seems unlikely that was Jurgen Klopp’s intention during the final weeks of the transfer window but nonetheless, Liverpool will now have to pay the Frenchman’s wages until January at the earliest.
That’s a big burden on club resources and although he’s a decent defender, he probably wouldn’t get into the team over Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren at the minute anyway.
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TIAGO ILORI
Another Liverpool defender who needed a one-way ticket to Timbuktu. Tiago Ilori is now 23 years of age and seemingly hasn’t developed at all since moving to Merseyside from Sporting Lisbon in 2013.
He’s yet to make a Premier League appearance for the Reds and didn’t feature in any competition whilst on loan at Aston Villa last season, despite them plummeting out of the top flight with a whimper.
The centre-back’s contract will enter it’s final year next summer, so Liverpool will probably end up parting with him for a nominal fee.
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DANIEL STURRIDGE
Daniel Sturridge is arrogant and injury prone – an incredibly dangerous concoction when you’re depended on for goals. Indeed, the England international missed part of pre-season with a hip injury and has seemingly fallen afoul of Jurgen Klopp – who left him on the sidelines until the last six minutes against Spurs two weekends ago.
Which all begs the question; why didn’t Liverpool just cash-in on the crocked centre-forward?
The 27-year-old is never going to start more than 25 games a season and plenty of clubs would still pay silly money for him.
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