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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp urged to axe six struggling stars in summer clear-out
Liverpool have been told to overhaul their squad after a 5-2 defeat to Real Madrid.
Klopp believes 'tie is over' after Liverpool lose to Real Madrid
Liverpool have been urged to let six players leave in the summer following their 5-2 humbling by Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. The Reds’ disappointing season continued as barring a huge transformation, they are out of contention for any silverware by February, in stark contrast to the previous recent seasons under Jurgen Klopp.
Former Reds midfielder Danny Murphy has insisted that a “big reset” is needed for Liverpool, who may need several midfield additions in the summer and have been linked with moves for Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham and his England team-mate Mason Mount. However, Murphy has highlighted the need for Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner, Fabinho, Joel Matip and a forward to leave the club.
“I think it’s time for a big reset,” Murphy told talkSPORT. “I think there’s going to be five or six gone in the summer. I think Klopp knows, Klopp will get the opportunity to fix this and he deserves that opportunity, a hundred per cent.
“I think there are some obvious ones who are nearing the end of their contracts or career. When you’ve got Keita, Ox, Milner is near the end, that’s three in midfield, that leaves space then. You could probably throw Fabinho in there maybe, depending on how much you could get for him to get someone younger in that role with more energy.
“That would be three or four spaces in midfield that would give you carte blanche then to bring in new players and entice them in. So some of them are definitely going to go, maybe a new centre-half, Matip has been there seven or eight years. Matip has been great by the way, it’s not a criticism of him, but there’s a time where the squad has to evolve.”
Cody Gakpo was Liverpool’s only January signing at a time when supporters were calling for the midfield to be strengthened, as Murphy believes that due to the Netherlands star’s addition, there are too many players competing for places in Klopp’s front three. “We’ve got an abundance of talent in forward areas, Liverpool are a bit top-heavy when you look at the options in midfield,” Murphy added.
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“They’re nowhere near as good as the six forwards we’ve got. Six forwards for three positions, unless he changes his tactics.
"We’ve got Gakpo, [Luis] Diaz, [Diogo] Jota, Bobby Firmino, Mo[hamed] Salah and [Darwin] Nunez. We don’t need six, so one of them might go as well, but he’s got to free up some space to bring in some new energy.”
Murphy has not been the only former player to demand drastic changes at Anfield, as Jamie Carragher also slated Liverpool following defeat to Real Madrid and slammed their defence after conceding five goals.