Liverpool urged to keep Naby Keita but sell two…

Liverpool urged to keep Naby Keita but sell two players before transfer deadline

If it isn't broke don't fix it, they say. Or is it a great team never stays still?

Whatever your viewpoint, Liverpool ended an incredible 2021/22 season with two trophies and it so very nearly could have been a clean sweep of all four. Only a truly great team gets to achieve such a remarkable feat and there can be no denying that the current Liverpool squad is one of the very best the club has had in its illustrious 130-year history.

But as with any pre-season, players come and go and changes are inevitable. Without question, the most high-profile exit has been that of Sadio Mane, who has broken up the Reds' formidable forward line to start a new adventure in Germany with Bayern Munich.

We have also seen Neco Williams, Ben Woodburn, Sheyi Ojo and Ben Davies depart Anfield, while Rhys Williams has gone to Blackpool on loan. In has come big-money signing Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho from Fulham and young Scottish full-back Calvin Ramsay, as Jurgen Klopp shuffles his pack.

But should the Liverpool boss be getting shut of anymore existing players before the start of next season? An ECHO survey of Liverpool supporters suggests he should.

Of the current squad, less than 30% of those poll wanted the Reds to keep Nat Phillips in the current climate, with the centre-back widely regarded to be fifth-choice in the heart of defence, behind Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez. Also considered surplus to requirements is midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with just over 30% of readers wanting Klopp to hold onto the 28-year-old.

When it comes to keeping stars, no other player scored lower than 50% in our survey, with fans hoping the rest of the squad stays intact.

Looking at some of the big names in the squad, one that sometimes divides opinion is Naby Keita. But over 60% of supporters think that the Guinean international should sort out a new contract and stay at the club. Observers could raise an eyebrow at star player Mohamed Salah only having an 'keep' percentage of 88 in our poll, but submissions started to come in prior to the Egyptian King signing a new contract, when uncertainty was abound.

With more than 90% of pollsters wanting to keep 14 of the current squad, it is clear that Klopp has the trust of the fans when it comes to maintaining a winning team. With a bit of luck, that faith will be repaid come the end of next season, when the Reds will once again be expecting to compete for honours on all fronts.

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