Liverpool have been one of the Premier League’s busiest clubs in the transfer market this summer, splashing out around £80million on seven signings – namely, Roberto Firmino, Adam Bogdan, Joe Gomez, Nathaniel Clyne, James Milner and Christian Benteke.
But room must always be made for new arrivals and that’s where the Reds have fallen short during the transfer window. Despite the likes of Steven Gerrard, Rickie Lambert and Raheem Sterling all leaving the club, the Mersey outfit’s first team squad is rather inflated; currently, they have 43 players with official squad numbers.
So with summer deadline day now less than two weeks away, Brendan Rodgers has plenty of work cut out if he’s to streamline his squad – or perhaps more importantly, the Liverpool wage bill – for the 2015/16 season.
With that in mind and being the ever-helpful bunch we are at Football Fancast, we’ve listed FIVE flops Rodgers should be putting on a one-way train to… well, anywhere that isn’t Liverpool!
FABIO BORINI
Let’s start with the obvious – Fabio Borini. ‘Il Bomber’ was Brendan Rodgers’ first ever signing as Liverpool manager, in what now seems like a painfully obvious precursor of how debatable the Ulsterman’s transfer record would become at Anfield.
The Italy forward has managed just 25 league appearances for the Red during his three years on Merseyside, scoring only twice, and actually found his best form away from the club – particularly, his ten-goal-40-game loan spell at Sunderland during the 2013/14 campaign.
Borini had the option to leave Liverpool last summer, with the Black Cats and QPR both baying for his services, but surprisingly refused and declared his determination to claim a place in the Reds’ starting Xi.
That’s seen the 24 year-old practically ostracised by Brendan Rodgers, who issued him just three Premier League starts last term despite the glaring inadequacies of Liverpool’s strike force, so a departure this summer seems somewhat inevitable.
Sunderland are eyeing the 5 foot 11 attacker once again, but they now face competition from Inter Milan.
LUCAS LEIVA
The term ‘flop’ doesn’t truly apply to Lucas Leiva; he’s made 275 appearances for Liverpool and with the exception of the odd injury lay-off, has always been a useful squad member as one of the few genuine holding midfielders within the Anfield ranks.
But nonetheless, the Brazilian’s game-time has taken a significant hit since Brendan Rodgers took the Liverpool helm three summers ago and the arrival of James Milner, in addition to Emre Can’s re-emergence at the heart of midfield, appears to be the final nail in the proverbial coffin.
Reports earlier this week alleged Besiktas are on the verge of making a €4million offer for the 28 year-old, although we’re still waiting on confirmation that the Reds have actually received it.
That being said, the media put Leiva on the chopping block practically every summer. With two terms remaining on his current deal, he might decide to stick it out at Liverpool for one more year.
Jose Enrique
Another Liverpool stalwart who has served the club well but now outstayed his welcome; Jose Enrique boasts 132 appearances for the Reds yet only 18 have come during the last two seasons.
Injures have been a significant factor but they’ve also left the Spaniard a shadow of the marauding left-back he once was – and he now faces an improbable fight with Alberto Moreno and summer signing Joe Gomez to become Anfield’s resident No.3 once again.
The 29 year-old vowed to stay on Merseyside and continue competing for a first team role earlier this week. But also admitting to being made to train alone by Brendan Rodgers, it seems very unlikely he’ll be near a match day squad any time soon.
With just a year remaining on Enrique’s contract, Liverpool will accept practically any bid at this point in the transfer window.
TIAGO ILORI
When Liverpool signed Tiago Ilori two summers ago he was billed as one of the most exciting defensive prospects in Europe, famed for beating Cristiano Ronaldo’s sprint record at Sporting Lisbon.
But there’s been a worrying lack of progress from the Portugal U21 since, failing to make a mark during his loan spells with Granada and Bordeaux to register just 21 league appearances in 18 months for both clubs combined.
Now 22, Ilori is essentially Liverpool’s fifth choice centre-back for the season, behind Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren, Mamadou Sakho and Kolo Toure – and potentially behind Joe Gomez and Emre Can in the pecking order as well.
Barring serious injury to the aforementioned names, it seems unlikely the 6 foot 3 centre-half will get a look in next term – despite recently telling the press he’s determined to make himself a regular in the starting Xi.
Whether it’s another loan deal or permanently, Liverpool should look to offload the flopped youngster this summer.
MARIO BALOTELLI
The rather sad yet rather hilarious tale of Mario Balotelli, who arrived at Liverpool accompanied by such monikers as ‘unmanageable’ and ‘a child trapped in a top-class footballer’s body’ and now leaves Anfield well… essentially under the same description.
There’s no question Brendan Rodgers knew he was taking an enormous gamble when signing the Italy international for £16million last summer and and as the bookies will tell you, enormous gambles don’t tend to pay off.
Indeed, many warned the striker would flop but few predicted quite how badly; just four goals in 24 appearances, including a harrowing one in 14 in the Premier League, and continuous PR disasters – not least including swapping shirts with Real Madrid’s Pepe at half-time and praising Raheem Sterling’s debut performance for Manchester City. Oh dear.
Rodgers lost all faith in Balotelli some time ago. The real challenge this summer has been finding a buyer for a player on big wages who has now left all of his previous employers on rather sour terms.
Watford were quick to denounce rumours of a loan bid earlier this week but a switch to Sampdoria, where the 25 year-old would be reunited with former Azzurri strike partner Antonio Cassano, is still a possibility.