When teams underperform as horribly as Liverpool have this season, the reaction is either one of two things: get rid of the manager or get rid of the players.
Yet for many Reds followers who have endured a dismal, disappointing and at times downright dreary campaign, the response has essentially been to combine the two.
With Fenway Sports Group continuing to show faith in Arne Slot, it seems unlikely there is any great desire for a significant shift in the dugout this summer despite the borderline hatred shown by some Liverpool supporters on social media towards the title-winning head coach.
Beyond dispute, though, is change is coming in the squad. And that was brought into sharp focus over the weekend with the news Inter Milan are preparing another attempt to lure Curtis Jones to Serie A after their efforts in January were comprehensively rebuffed by the Reds.
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Given Jones is approaching the final 12 months of his contract with no sign yet of a fresh agreement being reached, Liverpool may now have to alter that stance. They value the 25-year-old midfielder at around £35million, with the summer likely the last chance they will at present have of gaining significant income from his sale.
After the problems prompted by last summer’s squad overhaul, Liverpool can realistically ill afford another exodus of senior players. Their hands, though, may be tied to some degree.
Of course, Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson have long confirmed their departure on a free transfer after Sunday’s final game of the season at home to Brentford.
And, as things stand, Ibrahima Konate is poised to follow them out the door at the end of next month. Despite expressing his preference to stay and his recent confidence a new contract would be reached, the player and his representatives are still to broker a new deal less than a week before the centre-back begins preparations for the forthcoming World Cup with France.
Both parties are hopeful a resolution can be found, otherwise Liverpool will be compelled to bring in another central defender alongside incoming £60million man Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes.
Then there is the situation of Alisson Becker. While the Reds triggered their option to extend the goalkeeper’s stay by another 12 months, Juventus are pushing hard to sign the 33-year-old with Slot admitting the club may have a decision to make in the summer.
Speaking earlier this month, Joe Gomez intimated his future isn’t certain, while Alexis Mac Allister‘s representatives are clearly befuddled as to why the Argentina international hasn’t been offered a new deal unlike fellow midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister(Image: Photo by GSI/Icon Sport via Getty Images)
Cue growing speculation Mac Allister could on his way, while Federico Chiesa has long been touted with a transfer having barely featured under Slot. Wataru Endo may find himself in a similar position.
Even among the youngsters there is uncertainty. Trey Nyoni, the 18-year-old midfielder, is reportedly a target for Swansea City having had his minutes limited this campaign, while Kieran Morrison has yet to sign a new deal although the Reds expect that to soon be sorted.
When Slot said recently Liverpool would have to sell to buy, it wasn’t an indication there was no money in the transfer kitty. Far from it. Instead, it reaffirmed the approach of FSG to be self-sustainable and not stockpile talent like some of their Premier League rivals.
But if all of those touted as possible departures exit, it will be another summer of churn at a time when Liverpool are desperately in need of consistency and, it must be said, greater numbers.
They won’t all leave. However, that Liverpool are entertaining the possibility Jones could move on in the coming months – and how that will impact their homegrown quota – indicates they are more open than ever to a new era of players, no matter who is in charge.
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