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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
John Aldridge

I can see Thiago being sacrificed this summer as two players save Liverpool £100m

Important decisions must be made this summer as we prepare for a midfield shake-up.

Liverpool have still got Stefan Bajcetic to come back next season, though our other injured Spaniard is someone whose future may not be as certain. With Trent now moving into midfield positions and potentially two or three signings coming in during the transfer window, I am wondering whether Thiago will go.

He has only played roughly half of our games again and is getting older. Klopp could look to move him on to bring someone younger in and, given the way we work as a club, we have to bring money in somehow. As good as Thiago is, you need players who are fit all the time, young and get about the pitch. Curtis Jones and Trent could be about to save the club £100million this summer, but we still need top two midfielders.

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Jones and Trent may well be ones for the future, but James Milner and Roberto Firmino appear to be reaching the end of their respective eight-year stays. Saturday afternoon promises to be an emotional day as they take to the Anfield pitch for quite possibly the final time.

What can you say about the two of them? Nothing but good things. What they have done for us is incredible. With Firmino, his style is so different to any other forward I have seen and I just wish him all the best. James Milner, meanwhile, is the best free transfer in Liverpool’s history. Gary McAllister was superb, but Milner has been out of this world.

I don't think people know or are close to recognising what Milner brings to the dressing room, let alone on the pitch. He is an exemplary professional and still has a lot more to offer. I played until I was nearly 40 years of age and that's something James is well capable of doing as he is a freak of nature. No matter who Liverpool sign this summer, they will not be able to replace the attributes Milner offers to this team.

Condolences to friends and family of Dan Kay

I was very sad to learn of former ECHO journalist Dan Kay’s recent passing. Dan was a lovely bloke, who I spoke to on quite a few occasions. It’s really sad. What he did outside of work from a charity perspective was also brilliant.

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