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Liverpool are getting ready to ruthlessly axe five first-team players
Andoni Iraola pictured on the Liverpool bench during the UEFA Champions League match against Villarreal at Anfield
Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images

It has become clear during the opening months of Andoni Iraola’s reign at Liverpool that there are several players who do not have a future under the Basque.

Supporters knew before his arrival that Iraola wants his teams to play a certain style of football, and it was clear that not every member of the Liverpool squad would fit into that vision.

It is early days still, but according to journalist David Lynch, there are five players who can expect to see their time working under Iraola come to an end in 2027, or at the very latest in 2028: Kostas Tsimikas, Joe Gomez, Wataru Endo, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott.

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Andoni Iraola has the same number of points after 10 games as Arne Slot did last season (18). Have Liverpool improved or still not performing?

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Liverpool to let out of contract trio leave next year

The big stories in terms of contracts at Liverpool right now are regarding Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk, who are both currently slated to leave the club at the end of the season.

Alisson has claimed that he wants to stay, and Iraola has already echoed those sentiments, but it is not guaranteed that either the goalkeeper or his captain will extend their stays at Anfield into a 10th year.

What is more certain, as Lynch told his YouTube channel on Thursday morning, is that three more Liverpool players out of contract next summer – Tsimikas, Gomez and Endo – will all be going.

“Kostas Tsimikas, I think it’s clear that this is one Liverpool will allow to expire at the end of the season,” he said.

“He was clearly brought back this season to be the back-up. It made sense to bring him back in to fill the gap this season so they wouldn’t have to do as much in the market, but they now know that that is coming down the line.”

“Another one I think is straightforward is Joe Gomez, who expires in 2027. His availability record and how it has been in recent seasons means you just can’t justify extending his contract. He is homegrown and that’s something Liverpool will have to consider if they do let him go, but they can’t get him on the pitch often enough.

“So, you’d imagine that’s not one Liverpool are tripping over themselves on an extension and I’m sure Joe Gomez will have plenty of options if he leaves at the end of the season.

“Clearly Wataru Endo is going to depart at the end of the season as well, four years on from signing,” Lynch added. “He’s clearly not in this manager’s plans, he clearly wasn’t really in Arne Slot’s plans either, and it’s just a question of when he departs. Does a move come up in January? Does he prefer to keep his options open for a free transfer at the end of the season? Maybe that is more likely.

“But I think what we can clearly say is that Liverpool won’t be giving out a new contract to Endo and he will be departing at the latest at the end of the season.”

Chiesa and Elliott have no future at Liverpool

With Tsimikas, Gomez and Endo all set for the scrapheap in six months’ time, Lynch also predicted that the end is near for both Chiesa and Elliott at Liverpool as well.

The two players have contracts with the Reds until 2028, but the reporter claims that they will not be given new deals and could depart permanently or on loan next summer.

“Into the 2028 expiries, the next one to talk about is Federico Chiesa,” Lynch said. “Really easy this one, if Liverpool could have sold him over the summer they absolutely would have, if they can sell him next summer they absolutely will as well.

“He’s just clearly not got a place under this manager. He’s had injuries at the moment but he’s also not really in the plans and I don’t think he will be going forward. One that they’ll want to get the wages off the books as early as they can.

“Harvey Elliott also expires in 2028, it’s just a question of when he comes back from Valencia can he get a move which works for him? Maybe not even a permanent, it could be a loan to get him to the end of his contract. Clearly not one Liverpool will be giving a new contract to.”

Iraola himself only signed a deal until 2028 upon his arrival, but it feels likely that the Spaniard will remain with the Reds further into the future. As he goes, he will need to trim the fat of the Jurgen Klopp/Arne Slot eras, and, slowly but surely, his own vision for Liverpool should start to take more shape.

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