Liverpool could see a raft of top stars follow Jurgen Klopp out this summer
Liverpool are poised to lose more than just Jurgen Klopp this summer with a trio of their top players also expected to join the German in walking away, according to a former Everton chief.
The Merseysiders are now in the final three months of the German’s reign at Anfield and there will unlikely be a dry eye among their supporters when Klopp does leave at the season’s end. His bombshell announcement that this would be his last at Liverpool leaves the club with, what many fear, is an almost-impossible hole to fill.
Indeed, Klopp will depart Anfield as one of the most successful and charismatic managers in their history, having already won seven trophies during his near-nine years at the helm. And with three more up for grabs this season, Klopp could depart Anfield as a quadruple trophy winner and in what could prove his greatest season yet.
With the focus very much on whom will step into his sizeable shoes at Anfield gathering pace, a number of high-profile options appear to have presented themselves to custodians FSG.
And the Americans have appointed a man known as the world’s greatest leader in Theo Epstein to lead Liverpool’s hunt and ensure they are getting the best possible to become Liverpool’s next manager.
While Roberto De Zerbi, Julian Nagelsmann and Ruben Amorim have been hotly tipped, the name on everyone’s lips appears to be Xabi Alonso, with the former Reds midfielder doing outstanding work in his first senior management role with Bayer Leverkusen.
Liverpool trio tipped to follow Jurgen Klopp in quitting Anfield
All the same, FSG do not intend to make anything public from here on in, so as not to distract Klopp and his players from their task in hand and from winning all four trophies before them.
And recent late goals in claiming a first-ever win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground since 1984 and in defeating Chelsea to lift the Carabao Cup underlines exactly how much the current crop are fighting to ensure Klopp goes out with a bang.
However, this might prove to be as good as it gets for the Merseysiders with former Everton and Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness revealing his belief that Klopp will not be the only player to quit Anfield this summer.
And he reckons the likes of Mo Salah – heavily linked with a move away from Anfield – Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker could all look to move on in the wake of Klopp’s news.
“The spine of this Liverpool team may go in the summer,” Wyness told Football Insider.
“I think Alisson, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are the sort of players that will leave.
“And it’s because they’ve seen their relationship with Jurgen Klopp.
“It’s difficult to redo the success that they’ve had with a new manager.”
“Whereas the younger players are much more keen to do that and to make their mark with a new manager – that may suit them better.
“But I do think some of the older spine of the team may actually go.”
Where will Salah, Van Dijk and Alisson go?
Salah‘s future has been well documented in recent months with the Saudi Pro-League making no secret of their desire to bring the Egyptian – widely regarded as the greatest Muslim player of all time – to the Gulf State.
To that end, it was reported last week that Salah has already ‘signed’ a deal with Al-Ittihad and with reports in Italy claiming Liverpool were stepping up their own hunt to sign an Italy star as his replacement.
And with his deal at Anfield due to expire in summer 2025, it would come as no surprise to see the 31-year-old lured away in what could prove a world-record deal.
It’s a similar story too with Van Dijk, who has been absolutely imperious this season and one of the best players in the Premier League throughout the 2023/24 campaign.
But with his deal also due to expire in summer 2025, there is a feeling that Liverpool could also look to cash in while they can and in the belief that the 32-year-old’s time as an elite-level centre-half cannot last forever.
Van Dijk has put his own injury troubles aside this season, but any successor to Klopp at Anfield could well want his own centre-half pairing to lead the Reds into a new era.
The Dutchman has been linked with a move to Real Madrid among others.
As for Alisson, his exit would perhaps cause the biggest surprise. The goalkeeper still has three years to run on his deal and the Brazilian has showed himself as one, if not the best, goalkeeper in the Premier League.
He has yet to be linked with a move away, though there would be no shortage of takers if he were to agitate for a move.
As it stands, however, none of that trio have even discussed leaving and it remains to be seen if Wyness’ claims come true.
