Liverpool Football Club have dropped a massive double transfer hint and it looks like both Nat Phillips and Xherdan Shaqiri are on their way out this summer.
The Reds were excellent at Anfield on Monday, as a goal from Takumi Minamino opened the scoring in front of a delighted home crowd.
Roberto Firmino soon after made it 2-0 thanks to a cross from Kostas Tsimikas which almost made fans forget about the injury to Andy Robertson.
🎥 | Roberto Firmino doubles Liverpool's lead! 🔥 https://t.co/7ygvvdjgsb
— The Anfield Buzz (@TheAnfieldBuzz) August 9, 2021
The Brazilian trebled the lead and doubled his tally with a cheeky finish right in front of the Osasuna ‘keeper, showing off his Brazilian composure.
Yet, curiously, Nathaniel Phillips and Xherdan Shaqiri were not named in the squad and it seems that both are nearing transfers out of the club.
https://twitter.com/AnfieldWatch/status/1424774695044386822?s=20
“Lyon have joined the chase for Liverpool’s Xherdan Shaqiri but the two clubs are currently far apart in their respective valuations”, reports James Pearce.
The Ligue 1 side has made an initial offer but their bid “fell a long way short of the club’s £12m valuation.”
Goal’s Neil Jones reports that while there is “nothing imminent” for either Phillips or Shaqiri, both players are expected to leave the club and Liverpool decided not to risk them and left them out of the squad.
No Xherdan Shaqiri or Nat Phillips in the Liverpool squad tonight. Both have been strongly linked with moves away.
Nothing imminent, I'm told, but certainly a sense that something will happen, and club have decided not to take the risk with those two tonight. #LFC
— Neil Jones (@neiljonesgoal) August 9, 2021
If Liverpool are going to sign a non-UK player, they will have to sell Shaqiri before doing so and it looks like that will happen soon enough.
Who will join Liverpool?
It’s truly impossible to tell at this stage. Links to Saul have run dry while Renato Sanches continues to be heavily linked.
Of course, links aren’t a surefire way of ascertaining a club’s plans and Liverpool are particularly difficult to read these days.
Currently, the Reds have made one new signing in 22-year-old Ibrahima Konate while our rivals have added world-class talent across the board but fortunately we have the best manager in the world.
https://twitter.com/rajsinghchohan/status/1424035317041016833?s=20
Recently, the club has cut off all leaks and it’s virtually impossible to get any information on outgoings but after Jurgen Klopp’s quotes on Sunday, it looks as though there might be something in the pipeline.
Speaking after the 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao at Anfield, Klopp said: “I am very happy with the squad, but it doesn’t mean that we don’t look at the market.
“But as long as nothing happens, I am more than happy with the squad I have. I am more than happy with the players I have.”
