Report: Liverpool clear-out begins ahead of Slot’s first full pre-season | OneFootball

Slot’s arrival triggers changing of the guard

Liverpool’s squad is already feeling the weight of change as Arne Slot wastes no time in streamlining his options ahead of pre-season. As highlighted in a recent report by Empire Of The Kop, three long-serving squad members – Tyler Morton, Nat Phillips, and Rhys Williams – are set to leave Anfield in search of pastures new.

None of the trio featured in Liverpool’s 2024/25 Premier League title-winning campaign. While sentiment might have previously bought these players time, Slot appears keen to construct a new dynamic, focused on active contributors and fresh tactical identities.

Pearce reported that the three are “expected to leave in search of a fresh challenge,” a telling sign that the club is being decisive rather than sentimental. Their departures reflect a clear break from the past and the beginning of a new chapter under the Dutchman.

Photo: IMAGO

Fringe players prepare for life after Liverpool

Tyler Morton has struggled to establish himself as a first-team regular. Though tipped for a breakthrough after a promising loan at Blackburn Rovers in 2022–23, last season he remained largely on the fringes. As Pearce states, Morton “failed to make much of an impact with the very limited opportunities that came his way.” With younger midfielders now ahead of him in the pecking order and a tactical reshuffle underway, a move seems like the logical next step for his development.

Meanwhile, centre-backs Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams have seen their careers stall despite once playing pivotal roles during Liverpool’s injury-plagued 2020–21 season. Both have spent time on loan in the Championship and lower-end Bundesliga sides, but without doing enough to force their way back into the plans at Anfield. As Pearce put it, “both players struggled to make a consistent impact,” and that inconsistency has ultimately sealed their fate.

Kelleher and Tsimikas exits underline evolution

It’s not just the fringe defenders and midfielders heading for the exit. Caoimhin Kelleher, once seen as a future Liverpool number one, has now sealed a permanent move to Brentford. As Pearce reported, “Liverpool [were] happy to cash in on the Irish international even with the low fee that was offered.” This decision, while perhaps surprising on the surface, reflects Slot’s willingness to offload valuable squad players to create room for higher-priority targets.

Kostas Tsimikas is expected to follow. Despite being a reliable deputy for Andy Robertson since arriving in 2020, the Greek left-back has slipped down the order and is now considered surplus to requirements. Clubs in mainland Europe have reportedly expressed interest, and a transfer feels imminent.

Photo: IMAGO

Wirtz pursuit adds context to swift exits

The overarching theme of these departures is a desire to reshape the squad and free up wages for top-level reinforcements. One name continues to dominate the conversation: Florian Wirtz. As Empire Of The Kop reports, a second Liverpool bid for the Bayer Leverkusen star has been rejected, but that hasn’t dampened the club’s pursuit.

Intriguingly, there are murmurs that “Wirtz was supposedly the subject of a secret Liverpool medical in Cologne,” suggesting negotiations may be further along than initially believed. Whether or not that deal materialises, Slot’s approach is clear – reduce, refine, and reload.

The rapid nature of these decisions, so early in the summer window, speaks volumes about how the new manager intends to assert his authority. There is little room for nostalgia. The focus is firmly on ensuring the squad is both leaner and more tailored to his playing philosophy.

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From a supporter’s perspective, it’s refreshing to see such clarity and confidence in the early weeks of Arne Slot’s tenure. While players like Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams will always have a place in Liverpool folklore for stepping up during a crisis, it’s hard to argue that their time at the club has run its course. Morton’s exit is perhaps the most disappointing, given his early promise, but even then, it feels like the right decision.

The Kelleher sale will sting for some, especially given his heroics in cup competitions, but his departure was inevitable if he was to realise his ambition of being a number one elsewhere. Tsimikas’ exit feels similar – useful, dependable, but ultimately behind elite-level starters in the pecking order.

Fans will now turn their attention to incomings, particularly the Wirtz saga. If these early exits are clearing the runway for a marquee signing, then the pain of these goodbyes will be more than worth it. Slot is clearly building something with purpose, and that bodes well for a seamless transition post-Klopp. What matters most now is turning this momentum into meaningful additions that can push the squad to new heights.