With Kenny Dalglish expected to take the Liverpool manager’s job permanently in the summer, both he and Director of Football Damien Comolli will be looking to shape a squad capable of challenging for the Premier League. With Comolli stating it will be a “busy summer” in the transfer market, it looks as if Reds owner Fenway Sports Group will be looking to splash some cash. With perhaps 4 or 5 players needed in the summer (two wingers, left back, defensive midfielder and a centre back?), a clearout of deadwood will be needed.
Starting with the strikers, the arrival of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, means there is greater strength up front but I think we can expect Serbian forward Milan Jovanovic to depart this summer. He has been used relatively little by both Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish, and rejected a move to Wolfsburg in January. I anticipate the Serbian to depart just a year after arriving from Standard Liege on a free transfer. The future of David Ngog is a little less certain. Although still young at 22 years of age, Comolli and Dalglish may seek to look for another striker, and with Dirk Kuyt being used more often as a striker, instead of Ngog, under Dalglish, there is a chance of the Frenchman leaving if another striker arrives.
The midfield is certainly the area where most changes will be implemented in the summer. With Christian Poulsen completely failing to adapt to the pace of the Premier League, the Dane will almost certainly be departing in the summer with Udinese his most likely destination. It will leave Lucas Leiva as the only really effective defensive midfielder in the squad, barring Jay Spearing, and I would expect Damien Comolli is already scouting a new holding midfielder. Moussa Sissoko stated to L’Equipe yesterday that he is seeking to leave Toulouse and the Reds have been touted as a possible destination. In regards to Alberto Aquilani, the future is less certain than Poulsen’s and he could very well find himself back at Anfield come the summer.
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In regards to the wings, the failures of Jovanovic, Maxi Rodriguez and Joe Cole to really perform to their optimum level means all three of their places in the squad are under threat. As mentioned above, Jovanovic is likely to go, but the summer could also see Joe Cole departing. Injuries and a lack of form have hampered the former England international’s first year at Anfield, and the fact that he is not a regular starter in league matches under Dalglish, means there are massive question marks over his future. With ex Reds, and other pundits, calling out for wingers to support Andy Carroll, Comolli and Dalglish will probably be very focused on this area of the pitch, and Maxi Rodriguez maybe the only one to survive as a squad player next season.
At the back, the massive problem for the Reds, over the last couple of years, has been at left back. Paul Konchesky looks set to return to Fulham next summer after not even being given a game by Dalglish before being sent out on loan to Notts Forest. The constant injuries to Fabio Aurelio will also mean that the Reds may look for two full backs in the summer. Emiliano Insua is likely to return from his loan spell at Galatasaray, and could fill one of the two spots if deemed worthy by Dalglish, but I would anticipate the Argentine departing this summer too. The centre of defence may also be addressed with Soto getting on in years and the big Greek maybe a surprise departure in the summer if the Reds can find a suitable younger replacement who can also deputise for the injury prone Daniel Agger.
In goal, everyone hopes Pepe Reina will stay but his future is still up in the air. The deputy goalkeeper Brad Jones may depart though as Dalglish has sent the player out on loan to get first team action while using young keepers as reserves for Reina.
Read more of David’s articles at Live4Liverpool
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