Three Stars Who Could Be On The Move To Or From Anfield This Summer

Luckily the disappointment from Sunday’s Premier League heartbreak shouldn’t live too long in the memory. The Champions League final in Paris is right around the corner, and a particular Big-Eared trophy could be on its way to Anfield for the second time in three years. Admittedly, the small matter of Real Madrid — the record 13-time winners of the European Cup — still stands in the way. Online bookmakers such as Smarkets, who provide free offers on European football, have made The Reds the favourites for the club football’s showpiece match, and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that his players can complete a cup treble in the French capital.

With that being said though, the iconic German manager will be hoping to bridge the small gap that remains to this year’s champions of England, Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side managed to score three goals in five minutes to come back from two goals down at home to a Steven Gerrard managed Aston Villa to seal their fourth title in five years by just one point. A solitary point was the same margin that they won by three years ago as well, and what happened three weeks later? A sixth Champions League crown made its way to Merseyside courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, in Madrid of all places.

If Klopp is able to stop City’s dominance of the top-flight, then he may need to dip further into the transfer market to add strength in depth in a number of positions. As has been the case in the past, however, he may also need to sell a top star to free up some funds. If the rumours are to be believed, these three superstars could be on the move this summer.

In – Jude Bellingham

Minus the goalscoring behemoths that are Kylian Mbappe, who has just signed a megamoney new deal at Paris Saint Germain, and Erling Haaland, is there a brighter young star on the planet today than Jude Bellingham? The young Englishman has already made over 130 senior appearances for Borussia Dortmund and Birmingham City, in addition to his 12 caps for the Three Lions. And unbelievably, he doesn’t turn 19 until the end of June. He appeared in 32 of Dortmund’s 34 games this season, providing 11 goal involvements in another stellar personal campaign, albeit a disappointing one for his club. They finished third in their Champions League group, eliminated from the Europa League by Rangers and finished eight points behind an underwhelming Bayern Munich side that lost to Villareal. The teenage sensation may sense that if he wants to win trophies and further his career, his future may lie away from Signal Iduna Park.

Liverpool have already secured the signature of one young starlet this summer, with Fabio Carvalho’s move from Fulham finally being confirmed, and it appears that the club will be looking to the future with any potential new additions. Bellingham, who was Birmingham’s youngest ever appearance maker aged just 16 years and 63 days, certainly fits that description. A move to Anfield would also benefit the box-to-box midfielder on the international scene. Despite being a key part of Gareth Southgate’s plans, the England manager has tended to prefer a midfield three consisting of Mason Mount, Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips and playing in the Premier League would certainly go a long way toward securing a place in the starting eleven in Qatar this winter.

Out – Sadio Mané 

Alright, writing this is going to hurt. Nobody wants to see Sadio Mané leave Anfield. The Senegalese winger has far exceeded all expectations since arriving from Southampton for £30m back in 2016. He’s scored 120 goals in 268 games since his arrival, scoring at a rate of almost a goal every two games. He’s also been a crucial part of perhaps the best striking trio the club has ever had, alongside Mohammed Salah and Roberto Firmino. He’s won every major competition that he has competed in at club level, and also helped his homeland lift the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year, scoring the winner in a penalty shootout against teammate Salah’s Egypt.

Unfortunately, though, all good things do indeed come to an end. Mane’s Liverpool contract is due to expire next summer, at which point he will have just turned 31. That could prompt Jurgen Klopp to cash in on one of his prize assets, and if the papers are to be believed, there are already a number of potential suitors eying him up. Both Barcelona and Bayern Munich, who may lose Robert Lewandowski to the Nou Camp side, have expressed an interest in acquiring the Senegal captain, and with a heavy heart, he could possibly be saying his farewells in the coming weeks.

In – Jarrod Bowen 

A man who may fill that Sadio Mane-sized hole is the latest addition to England’s international setup, Jarrod Bowen. The English winger is another player who has been in fine fettle this campaign. He’s scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists in a spellbinding campaign at West Ham United, leading them to a Europa League semifinal — their first in over 40 years — and securing a 7th place finish in the Premier League, which means more European football next season.

There are a couple of questions that must be answered before Bowen is considered as a summer signing. The first of which is this, is he a step down from the potentially outgoing Mane? Perhaps at first glance, he is. But if you look at the statistics, he has had four more goal involvements than the Liverpool winger, in a team that finished 36 points behind The Reds. Another question would be the transfer fee. Under contract until 2025 at the London Stadium, David Moyes would be in a position to command a huge transfer fee for his star man, a price Klopp may be unwilling to pay. This is particularly true when there are cheaper options still available on the transfer market.