Liverpool have confirmed that 12 players will leave the club, including first-team stars Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate. The departures mark a significant overhaul of the squad as the club prepares for a new era under head coach Andoni Iraola.
Defender Rhys Williams departs after 15 years at the club, having played a pivotal role as defensive cover under Jurgen Klopp during the 2020-21 campaign. A host of academy prospects also leave, including James Balagizi and Oakley Cannonier, the ballboy who handed Trent Alexander-Arnold the ball for the winning goal against Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semi-final.
Robertson and Salah bid farewell to Anfield in an emotional send-off during the final day draw with Brentford. Both players were substituted by then-head coach Arne Slot and received separate makeshift guards of honour. Robertson has since been confirmed as a Tottenham Hotspur player, joining on a free transfer after his contract expired. He will captain Scotland at the World Cup, their first major tournament since 1998.
Konate's time on Merseyside ended after failing to agree a contract extension. The 27-year-old defender had hinted at a deal following a win over Everton in April, but the two parties could not reach terms, allowing him to leave on a free transfer.
Andoni Iraola, the new head coach, will oversee pre-season without these three key players. He has emphasised the importance of integrating young talent, stating: 'I want to talk to the staff, to the people that were here every day, that know very well the players, to arrive as ready as possible to that first day of pre-season. Especially with a lot of those young players that will do the pre-season with us, a lot of things about the organisation, about the staff, about how we can create the best atmosphere.'
Other departing players include Kareem Ahmed, Emmanuel Airoboma, DJ Bernard, Josh Davidson, Terence Miles and Jacob Poytress. Meanwhile, Kyle Kelly, Afolami Onanuga, Oliver O'Connor, Lucas Pitt, Ben Trueman, Matthew Wright, Prince Cisse and Keyrol Figueroa have been offered new contracts.
