A sensational report which emerged on Tuesday morning has claimed that Liverpool may consider offloading two first-team players unless their levels of output improve.
According to Football Insider, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo will be playing for their respective futures at Anfield for the remainder of this season, with one or both potentially facing a cull if the Reds make some high-profile additions to their attacking ranks.
The report claims that LFC chiefs are disappointed with the duo’s scoring returns in the current campaign, which could cast doubt over the forwards’ long-term roles at the club.
Even if both players have perhaps had lulls in their respective Liverpool careers, neither has been what you could call a flop.
Gakpo has netted 15 times in 52 appearances since joining the Reds just over a year ago, while Diaz has 17 goals from his 72 games across two years at Anfield, with the pair on 14 goals combined for the season so far (Transfermarkt).
Admittedly neither has been as consistently ruthless as Mo Salah, or as efficient and clinical as Diogo Jota, but both bring a verve and dynamism to the attack.
If Liverpool were to offload either or both of Gakpo and/or Diaz, they surely cannot do so without bringing in a top-class replacement first. Jurgen Klopp has five senior forwards in his current squad, and even one absence in that department leaves his options looking threadbare.
Neither the Dutchman nor the Colombian has underperformed to the extent that they should be fearful over their status at Anfield, and we’d be inclined to take these reports with a pinch of salt.