Are Liverpool now a selling club?

It’s been acknowledged this summer that the Liverpool squad needs a major reshape.

At the moment though the transfer rumours regarding Liverpool seem to be all about players exiting the club, rather than arriving.

Sales

This summer Liverpool have already parted company with attackers Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez.

The Reds also let perennially injured Fabio Aurelio leave the club. Rodriguez and Kuyt were more than useful players and there is no sign of them being replaced.

Leaving?

It seems that half of the Liverpool squad is being linked with moves away from Merseyside at the moment. I’m sure that’s not the sort of transfer activity Liverpool fans hoped for this summer. Here are just a few players being linked with a move away from Anfield this summer:

Daniel Agger

Manchester City have had two bids turned down for the Danish centre-back, according to Sky Sports reports. Those bids were believed to be £13million and £16million. The Citizens are now considering whether to come back in with a bigger bid.

Spanish giants Barcelona are also interested in signing the defender. Agger seems to be interested in a move away from the Reds, as he could win silverware and up his wage in Manchester and the Catalan capital.

Martin Skrtel

Agger’s central defensive partner from last season is also believed to be attracting interest from Manchester City. Obviously City won’t sign both of the defenders, but rumours persist that the Champions are interesting in signing the Slovakian defender.

Should a move for Agger fail, then City could revive their interest in the big centre-back. The 27 year-old’s agent revealed earlier this month that other clubs are interested in his services and there are no guarantees that he will stay at Anfield this summer. Boss Brendan Rodgers has stated that he will fight to keep the defender on Merseyside.

Andy Carroll

Andy Carroll is regarded as one of the most expensive flops in the history of British football. He arrived at Liverpool for £35million from Newcastle in January 2011 and has struggled to find his best form. However, towards the end of last season he started to look like a threat to defences.

Carroll is just 23 years-old and still has time to develop into a really good Premier League striker. However, at the moment it doesn’t look like that will be at Anfield. Reds boss Rodgers has already stated that Carroll doesn’t fit into the style of play, but he still thinks Carroll’s a good player.

West Ham have been heavily linked with a move for the striker. The Hammers were reported to have offered to take the striker on-loan for the season, with a view to a permanent transfer next summer. However, the England international is believed to only be interested in a move to a club that has European football next season.

His hometown Newcastle United have also shown an interest and they could offer him European football. He thrived at Newcastle and a loan spell back in the North East could be just the confidence lift he needs to lift his career.

It seems that Liverpool would prefer a permanent move, as they need the funds to strengthen their squad.

Signings

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers needs to sell before he can buy. Swansea midfielder Joe Allen is at the top of his wish list. The fee that the Swans are likely to demand is £15million and that’s a lot of money for a player with just one season of Premier League football under his belt, albeit a good one.

Fulham attacker Clint Dempsey has also been heavily linked with the Reds. The American international has been linked with a £10million move to the Reds. He could prove a very good signing, but Fulham are reluctant to let him leave, despite the fact that he is now in the last year of his contract.

Struggle

If Liverpool have to sell to buy then they really are in trouble for next season. The players that are being linked with a move away are not the players that disappointed last season, except for Carroll at times.

Liverpool need to sell their dead wood, not their best players. Unfortunately it seems nobody is interested in signing their underachievers, just their stars. If Liverpool sell the likes of Agger or Skrtel this summer the Reds will fall even further behind the top sides next season and they really can’t afford to.

Are Liverpool now a selling club?