Report: Liverpool Plans for Multiple Player Departures to Shape Squad in January Window
With Liverpool lagging behind Premier League leaders Manchester City in fifth place, manager Jurgen Klopp could potentially cut his losses in January, releasing a few fringe players from the first team to free up some funds.
As the future of Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho is still in doubt with Barcelona rumoured to be re-entering the chase for the 25-year-old, the Liverpool Echo believes Klopp could drop his squad size even more in January, allowing the likes of Danny Ings, Jon Flanagan and Lazar Markovic to depart the club.
Since signing for the Reds in 2015, English striker Ings has failed to break into the Liverpool first team, despite proving his credentials as a Premier League forward at Burnley.
A series of injuries has kept him out of the side, but after scoring four goals in a recent reserve team fixture, the chance of first team football elsewhere could be too good an opportunity to turn down.
Elsewhere, Markovic showed a great deal of potential as an excellent winger while at Benfica, lighting up the Champions League on a weekly basis. However, his time at Anfield has been a major disappointment, only bagging two goals in nineteen first team appearances since 2014.
With a £20m price tag came expectation, which the Serbian midfielder did not live up to following loan spells with Hull and Fenerbahce. Still only a 23-year-old with a point to prove, he might snatch at the chance another move without a moment's hesitation if he can be trusted at first team level once again.
The Echo allegedly reports the likes of Flanagan, who was given a standing ovation in his home debut against rivals Everton in 2013, hasn't lived up to the hype surrounding the young England international, despite a number of glowing references as a complete full-back.
As Klopp considers these sales, coupled with the possible departures of Harry Wilson and Ovie Ejaria, Liverpool could look a different proposition in the transfer window.
