Liverpool expect duo to leave as report names Klopp’s top target
Liverpool pair Adam Lallana and Xherdan Shaqiri will leave Anfield this summer, with Jurgen Klopp already identifying his top target to replace them, according to a report.
Lallana is out of contract on June 30, and as such is now free to negotiate with foreign clubs and even sign a pre-contract agreement, if a deal can be reached.
Tottenham, Arsenal and West Ham are all understood to be chasing the midfielder, while it was reported last month that Leicester were “leading” the race to land him and had already made an enquiry with his representative.
And while the Foxes have since played down their apparent interest, The Athletic insist Lallana will not be offered fresh terms by Liverpool and he will leave the Premier League champions-elect once the season ends.
Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers said of Lallana recently: “Adam is a fantastic player and one I brought into Liverpool. I have been aware of his talents since he was a young player at Southampton.
“He has done brilliantly [at Liverpool] and I’m sure he will be weighing up his options.
“But I don’t need to speak about that now. We’ve spoken about that all through January. I don’t need to speak about the summer transfer window. I would only add he is a top-class player.”
Shaqiri, meanwhile, has struggled badly for fitness at Anfield this season, having played just one minute for the Reds since December 14.
The Switzerland international- a £13m signing from Stoke in summer 2018 – came close to leaving the club in January with Italian club AS Roma and Spanish outfit Sevilla both approaching the Reds for the player.
Assessing his struggles this season and his desire to still play a part this season, Shaqiri said in January: “I didn’t have a lot of playing rhythm. I missed pre-season also and there were different reasons why I got some knocks maybe.
“I’m staying positive and I still try to have the opportunity to give my best and to help the team.”
It has been claimed, however, that Liverpool will sell the 28-year-old winger in the summer of 2020, and that too for a transfer fee £25.5million.
Klopp keen on Todd Cantwell
Having signed Takumi Minamino in January, Klopp already has one additional body in through the door, but it is reported that another midfielder will arrive in the summer with Lallana and Shaqiri departing.
And according to The Athletic, Klopp has upped his interest in Norwich star Todd Cantwell in recent weeks.
Cantwell is rated in the £30m bracket by the Premier League strugglers and is expected to leave Carrow Road this summer after making a big impression this season.
The 22-year-old has scored six times in the Premier League this season and his form has also seen him linked with moves to both Manchester clubs as well as Tottenham.
And one observer, Alex Bruce, can see exactly why Klopp is so keen to bring the player to Anfield.
“One thing that he gives you is his ball carrying,” the pundit said.
“He is a little bit like Jack Grealish – that type of player. He plays with flair like a James Maddison.
“Of course, he has some way to go before he is at their levels but it is his first season in the Premier League and he has done OK.
“He has caught people’s eye and everybody is talking about him. Cantwell is young, so he is definitely a prospect.
“It would not surprise me if a club like that takes a punt on him. If Norwich go down, it will be difficult to keep hold of him.”
Cantwell though is focused on Norwich in what is only his second season in the Canaries first team.
“I’m honestly thankful every game that the manager selects me to start in. I’d like to think I’m repaying that and every time I put on that shirt, I’ll give 100%,” Cantwell told Canaries.co.uk.
“I think I’m improving game by game and I feel like I’m becoming a better footballer. On a personal note, I’m loving it, playing in the Premier League against the best.”
Speaking about the 1-0 defeat to Liverpool just last month, the England Under-21 man said: “We showed a lot of resilience again. They are the best team in the world at the moment but they came to Carrow Road and didn’t have an easy game – that’s a credit to everyone.
“The resilience we’ve shown at home is something positive we can take but it’s a shame we’ve got nothing to show for it again. It’s been a bit of a reoccurring event.
“The way Sadio Mane takes that out of the air and the way he snaps at it with his weaker foot is frightening.
“We knew we were up against some of the best players in the world. Any sniff of a chance and you’ve got a horrible feeling they’re going to take it.
“When we get our chances, we really need to capitalise because we knew we weren’t going to have spells in the game where we would control the ball how we like.
“The resilience we showed against the ball, I feel like we deserved something from the game.”
