Liverpool told to axe SIX players in 'big reset'

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 15 Mar 2023 14:14 GMT
• 3 min read

Liverpool might be closing in on a place in the top four of the Premier League but Danny Murphy believes that the defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League must prompt a “big reset” at Anfield this summer.

It has been a complicated season for the Reds, and though they were 7-0 winners over Manchester United on Sunday, they remain fifth in the standings.

Although Jurgen Klopp’s men are quickly closing in on Tottenham in fourth, they are miles from the pace of Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the table and are not keeping the type of company they have grown used to in recent seasons.

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Murphy believes that this is justification for making wholesale summer changes.

“The size of that Real defeat was another example of why it will be time for a big reset at Liverpool this summer, which I think could see as many as five or six players leave and the same number signed in their place,” he told the BBC.

Confident of landing Bellingham

Although Murphy sees the Champions League as important, he does not believe it will be make-or-break even in a transfer battle for star names like Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham.

He explained: “Whoever they try to bring in, having Champions League football is a great carrot to be able to offer and of course the finances that come with qualification would be crucial for any squad rebuild as well.

“Liverpool made almost £100m by reaching the Champions League final last season and just by reaching the knockout stages this time they have already banked around £40m.

“There is no way Liverpool will struggle to attract top players this summer if they aren't in next season's Champions League but if they want someone who also has offers from clubs who have qualified, it could be a deciding factor.

“I don't think it would affect the decision of Borussia Dortmund and England midfielder Jude Bellingham, though, to pick out just one player who has been strongly linked with the Reds.

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“If he is keen on going to Liverpool in the first place, then Bellingham will surely believe that his presence would help the club be back involved in the Champions League the following campaign.

“He only turns 20 in June so I doubt he would be bothered about missing out for one season in that competition because he has got so many years ahead of him to play in it.”

Although Murphy was writing before Liverpool’s big weekend win over Man Utd, the point remains that fans feel that big changes need to be made sooner rather than later.