Liverpool could see five players leave on free transfers when the summer window swings open. Mohamed Salah, who has already confirmed he is moving on at the end of the campaign, will be one of them.
The Reds splashed roughly £450m in last summer's transfer market, bringing in the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike at considerable cost. Despite that hefty outlay, their Premier League title defence has unravelled and they currently occupy fourth place, with a Champions League berth next season likely to be the only reward for what has been a gruelling campaign. When summer arrives, there will undoubtedly be further reshuffling of the squad. As it stands, five players, including Salah, are poised to walk away without a transfer fee.
Salah is the marquee exit come June. Despite his contract officially running until 2027, the deal will be cut short, bringing the curtain down on nine trophy-laden years at Anfield. The Egyptian made the announcement in March through an emotional video shared online, paying tribute to the club and its supporters.
He is due to officially depart on 30th June, though an injury sustained against Crystal Palace may mean he has already pulled on a Liverpool shirt for the last time. Salah is not the only Anfield legend departing this summer, with Andy Robertson also seeing out his final season at the club. His contract expires this summer and he has confirmed he will move on when it does.
He said on the club's website: "It's never easy leaving a club like Liverpool, it has been a huge part of mine and my family's life for the last nine years. But I know football moves on, I know teams move on, and I think now is the time for me to move on and go wherever my next move is and wherever my career takes me.
"I'll always look back on amazing memories at this football club, I've put my heart and soul into the club for nine years and I've not got many regrets. This club will always mean the world to me, the fans will mean the world to me. It has been a hell of a journey."
Much like Robertson, Ibrahima Konate's deal is also due to expire and he could, in principle, depart the club. However, he revealed earlier this month that he is poised to put pen to paper on a new long-term contract at Anfield. He said: "There are many things people have said, but for a long time we have spoken with the club and we are [now] close to an agreement."
Two further players are also set to see their contracts expire in June: young defender Rhys Williams and third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman. Liverpool do hold the option to extend Woodman's deal by an additional year and may well exercise it, given he has been called upon to deputise between the sticks in recent fixtures.
Williams has been on Liverpool's books for 15 years, having joined their academy as a 10-year-old back in 2011. He appears poised to seek a new venture elsewhere, bringing the total to five players who could depart Anfield on a free transfer come June.