Squad construction - and the future.
In need of a semi-coherent ramble and gathering of thoughts. Probably a bad time to do it (after a win would be better) but it is what it is.
I did a recent post in the General transfer thread that underlined our options and did so with a view to explaining that foreign players couldn't arrive (in January) without sales. But it will serve as a decent template for what we have. It's not intended as a "list the players you want to arrive" thread or bemoan spending issues, but moreso to highlight areas where things could be better and the areas that may bode well for the future.
THE SQUAD
Max squad size of 25.
Premier League rule - At least 8 players must be homegrown (a player of any nationality that has spent at least three seasons training at a professional English or Welsh club before the age of 21). U21 players do not count towards the total. For the 23/24 season, that will be players born on or after January 1st of 2002.
UEFA rule - At least 8 players must be homegrown (trained by their club or by another club in the same national association for at least three years between the ages of 15 and 21). At least 4 of those must be homegrown by Liverpool FC.
Foreign players (max. 17) -
1. Alisson
2. Tsimikas
3. Fabinho
4. van Dijk
5. Konate
6. Thiago (contract expires at end of 23/24)
7. Núñez
8. Keita (expected to leave in Summer)
9. Firmino contract expires in Summer)
10. Jota
11. Salah
12. Matip (contract expires at end of 23/24)
13. Adrian (expected to leave in Summer)
14. Diaz
15. Arthur (expected to leave in Summer)
16. Robertson
17. Gakpo
#Special case# - Ramsay does not require registration for Premier League but counts as a foreign player in any UEFA competition.
Home-grown -
1. Jones
2. Kelleher (possibly leaving?)
3. Ox (expected to leave in Summer)
4. Henderson
5. Gomez
6. Alexander-Arnold
7. Milner (expected to leave in Summer)
8. Phillips
Notable players -
Carvalho does not require registration for Premier League but counts as homegrown (FA) in UEFA competition.
Elliott does not require registration for Premier League but will counts as homegrown (LFC) in UEFA competition.
Morton does not require registration for Premier League but counts as homegrown (LFC) in UEFA competition.
Bajcetic does not require registration for Premier League but counts as a foreign player in UEFA competition.
So with 3 foreign players expected to leave (4 if Firmino doesn't renew), and Ramsay to take one of those spots, that leaves us with space for a maximum of 2 (or 3, if Firmino leaves) foreign players that can come in during the Summer - unless of course there are sales.
Possible foreign departures and where their registration spaces may go -
Keita - Ramsay could take his space.
Adrian - new foreign signing or homegrown player.
Arthur - new foreign signing or homegrown player.
Firmino - new foreign signing or homegrown player.
Possible homegrown departures -
Milner - need a homegrown player to replace.
Ox - need a homegrown player to replace.
Kelleher - need a homegrown player to replace.
If the situation arose where Bellingham actually joined (may as well address it) ? -
Jude Bellingham would not require registration for the Premier League but would count as a foreign player in UEFA competition for the 23/24 season. If we sign him between now and the summer, then he would be re-classed as homegrown in UEFA comps for the 24/25 season onwards.
MIDFIELD WAGE BILL AND VALUE
You find conflicting reports on the internet, but from what I can gather -
Thiago is on £200k-per-week.
Henderson is £190k-per-week.
Fabinho is on £180k-per-week.
Keita is on £120k-per-week.
Ox is on £120k-per-week.
All of these most senior of Liverpool's professional midfielders have been subject to scrutiny in varying degrees this season (Thiago probably seen the most favourably right now) and a whopping£810,000 per week is being spent on them - and that's before we mention Milner, who I think everyone appreciates - even if they recognise he shouldn't play here forever.
It makes it all the more confusing that there was talk of trying to extend Keita's contract. There are definite opportunities to free up money via the wage bill if we allow players to go in the Summer. Ox, Keita and Milner are all for expiry and we should be letting at least two of them depart. The club may entertain trying to sell Fabinho to a Serie A club as an option - we may not get a huge fee, but that wage packet is considerable and (currently) isn't merited.
AGE PROFILE AND THE FUTURE
We actually have a surprising number of players that are of the age of 26 or younger at the moment, which is encouraging. Here is a list of them -
Tsimikas (26)
Konate (23)
Núñez (23)
Jota (26)
Diaz (26)
Gakpo (23)
Ramsay (19)
Jones (21)
Kelleher (24)
Gomez (25)
Alexander-Arnold (24)
Phillips (25)
Carvalho
Elliott (19)
Morton (20)
Bajcetic (18)
van den Berg (21)
RESET?
Let's not forget that Klopp inherited a bit of a mish-mash of a squad, yet we managed to do quite a bit just by getting a signing or two right and then building upon it. Whilst some degree of clear-out is needed, I don't think we need necessarily be in the pits of despair. Injuries are certainly a big factor, but the Ashes of Klopp's first cycle could yet fertilise the soil of what is to come. We won't see it this season, but I don't yet see 23/24 and 24/25 as needing to be written off - some of this crop of lads will improve and whilst we may not spend as much as some would like, the £120m or so in the last calendar year on Diaz, Gakpo and Núñez shows we aren't in the position Rafa was when given a transfer budget of £3.5m.
I think the take-away is that while we aren't anything like what we were, there are good players here and if we find anything resembling rhythm or form (sooner or later) we can still get a good tune out of this squad.
Your hobbies are rollerblading and you're also a bit of a rat-hound? Steel Wool
Sid knows he's crazy and he likes it. Balinkay
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