Four Liverpool exits confirmed; two players offered new contracts
Liverpool have released four players after revealing their retained list, with two having fresh contract offers on the table.
Jurgen Klopp is expected to freshen up his squad this summer, with the likes of Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri primed for an exit, while Gini Wijnaldum will move on when his contract runs out in a matter of weeks. But it’s the academy where Liverpool have begun their cull, with four youngsters shown the door.
Midfielder Liam Coyle recently revealed that he would be moving on after a 12-year association with the club. He is joined by Abdi Sharif, Jack Walls and Joe Hardy.
Hardy actually made a first-team appearance last term when he came as a late substitute in the FA Cup win over Shrewsbury in early 2020.
The 22-year-old forward joined from Brentford just prior to his FA Cup appearance. However, injury disrupted his playing time early this season before he eventually returned to the fold.
Sharif departs after an ACL injury put an end to his hopes of a longer stay, while Walls leaves having rejoined the club after he was originally let go in in 2020.
An offer of a new contract remains on the table for Yasser Larouci despite an expected exit. Liverpool hope he will still sign so that they can receive a compensation fee for the 20-year-old.
The left-back has struggled to break into the first-team squad, with Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas ahead of him in the pecking order.
Finally, centre-back Remi Savage has also been offered a new deal after settling into the Under-23s and becoming a mainstay for Barry Lewtas’ youngsters last season.
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No Liverpool talks for Brighton ace
Meanwhile, Liverpool are “scouting” an in-demand Premier League midfielder but are yet to open talks or make an offer, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Reds have already secured their first signing of the summer in the shape of Ibrahima Konate. The French defender signed from RB Leipzig last week, and will officially join on 1st July. It is anticipated that a number of others will follow him through the doors in the coming months.
That’s after a disappointing season which saw the Anfield club finish trophyless. Injuries played a part in that, but the need for more quality in depth also became evident.
Several players from around Europe are being linked. That includes Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Florian Neuhaus and RB Salzburg striker Patson Daka.
But reports claim they are also considering a number of players already in England. Leeds United’s Raphinha is one of those, and it has even been stated they lead the race to land his signature.
But another Premier League-based star catching their eye is Yves Bissouma. The Brighton man is receiving plenty of interest after some impressive displays for the the Seagulls.
Arsenal are also keen, but the Gunners have not struck a deal as of yet either. But Brighton are understood to be prepared to sell if the right offer comes in.
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Work to do for Bissouma transfer
Despite talk of Liverpool’s interest, Romano suggests it is unlikely any rapid developments will be made in regard to the 24-year-old moving to Anfield.
That’s because, as things stand, they are only scouting the player and are not pushing to get a deal done.
Discussing Bissouma’s situation (as cited by Anfield Central), Romano said: “There are a lot of rumours about Bissouma. Just to clarify, Bissouma is a fantastic player for Brighton.
“He is one of the players on the list for Arsenal but is not at the first position.
“Talking about Liverpool, they are scouting him because they consider him like an interesting player for the future but there are no bids. No negotiations for Liverpool.
“They are not (actively) working to sign Bissouma – scouting is one thing. Signing him is another thing.”
READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Liverpool defensive star a top loan target for Norwich, Burnley
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