Six Liverpool players in danger of being axed when Jurgen Klopp emotionally departs

Jurgen Klopp's end-of-season exit could spark a summer exodus, with several Liverpool first-team players potentially on the chopping block as we examine six who may depart too

Liverpool are on the precipice of a major transformation.

Jurgen Klopp's end-of-season departure is set to shake the foundations of the club, and finding the right successor will be harder than a diamond-incrusted anvil. Not only that, the knock-on effects of the German's exit could be just as significant with several senior stars facing exits.

The Reds, who went top of the Premier League again on Saturday with a 3-1 win at home to Burnley, will head into next season with a brand new philosophy for the first time in nearly a decade and some axe-swinging could be on the cards over the summer to accommodate the new regime. Even players untouchable under Klopp could be facing the chop. So without further ado, here are six Liverpool stars who could follow the manager out the door in June.

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The idea of Liverpool letting Mo Salah leave seems a little farfetched, but they could have their arms twisted if a gargantuan offer comes in from Saudi Arabia. The Egyptian, 31, will have just one year remaining on his contract come the summer, and any bid above market value, say, north of £100million, will be hard to turn down.

Similarly, given that Liverpool's pockets aren't quite as deep as Manchester City's or Chelsea's, Klopp's successor may well push for the sale if it'll help fund a summer spending spree. As odd as it sounds, Liverpool selling Salah makes a lot of sense.

Now before you fly off the handle, just hear us out. As mind-bogglingly talented as Trent Alexander-Arnold is, his defensive deficiencies are impossible to ignore. Let's say Klopp's successor wants to deploy more traditional, defensively adept full-backs, Alexander-Arnold's future in the team would be under serious threat, particularly with young Conor Bradley breathing down his neck.

Like Salah, his contract expires in 2025 and if the Englishman gets the sense he isn't fancied by the new manager, a summer exit would interest all parties. He wouldn't exactly be short of suitors either.

A veteran of the Klopp era, Joel Matip is one of the likeliest stars to follow his manager out of Anfield in the summer. His contract is up at the end of the season and although the Cameroonian has expressed a desire to stay, it looks as if Liverpool don't feel the same way.

He'll be 33 in August, and with injuries problems mounting, cutting ties makes sense from a Liverpool perspective, particularly with the likes of Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah ready to step in and fill his boots.

Thiago Alcantara's recent injury hell makes him a dead cert for a summer departure. The Spaniard, 32, has played just once this season and has made nine appearances since 2022. Save for a few eye-catching moments of magic, Thiago has failed to live up to expectations at Anfield and while fans might appreciate his technical wheelhouse, they probably won't miss him much when he goes.

His contact is up at the end of the season too and with negotiations over a new deal non-existent, we'd be shocked to see him turn up for Liverpool pre-season in July.

Cody Gakpo has barely been at the club five minutes but whispers of a potential departure have been surging in recent weeks. The 24-year-old hasn't exactly been poor since arriving from PSV just over a year ago, but his form in front of goal has left a lot to be desired.

With Darwin Nunez beginning to find his feet and Diogo Jota proving an uber-reliable utility forward, there might not be a space for Gakpo in a Kloppless Liverpool. The chances of a departure so soon after joining are slim, but if the right bid came along, the Reds would be mad not to consider it.

Konstantinos Tsimikas has spent the entirety of his Liverpool tenure as the club's second choice left-back, and while he hasn't exactly been rotting on the bench (79 appearances in three-and-a-half seasons isn't bad), a change in management could present something a crossroads for the Greek.

Where Klopp had enough faith in Tsimikas to give Andy Robertson regular rests, his successor may not and the 27-year-old will then have a decision to make. His contract doesn't expire for another three years, but a career as a backup can't be that appealing, can it?

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