Kostas Tsimikas transfer preference outlined as Liverpool defender ‘expected to leave’ Anfield

The future of Kostas Tsimikas remains uncertain as we enter the final two weeks of the summer transfer window.

The 29-year-old has largely played second fiddle to Andy Robertson in the left-back pecking order since joining Liverpool in 2020, and his prospects of regular game-time this season appear to have lessened with the summer arrival of Milos Kerkez.

The Greece international wasn’t even in the matchday squad for either the Community Shield or the Premier League opener against Bournemouth, a damning indicator of where he now sits in the pecking order, and Fabrizio Romano recently indicated that an exit from Anfield this month is likely.

Tsimikas ‘expect to leave’ Liverpool this month

There’s been a further update on Tsimikas in the latest instalment of The Athletic‘s Transfer DealSheet, which was published on Tuesday morning.

James Pearce wrote that the defender is ‘expected to leave’ Liverpool before the end of the transfer window on 1 September.

The Reds’ number 21 would like to join a club participating in European competition and is more likely to move to the continent than remain in the Premier League, despite reported interest from the English top flight in recent months.

Liverpool should be able to reap a decent fee if they sell Tsimikas

Tsimikas is at an age where he might have one more ‘big’ transfer in his career, hence his apparent desire to play for a club involved in Europe if – as seems likely – he moves on from Liverpool in the next fortnight.

The 29-year-old has been unfortunate to find his pathway to a regular starting berth at Anfield blocked by Robertson over the past few seasons, and now that Kerkez has arrived, the Greek Scouser could find opportunities very hard to come by this season if he stays put.

The Reds signed him for just under £12m in 2020 and would feel entitled to receive at least that amount – and justifiably a bit more – for a player who’s won the Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup and who, despite not being a fixed starter, has still featured 115 times for the Merseyside giants.

If Liverpool can bank somewhere in the region of £20m for Tsimikas, it’d represent another sound piece of business from FSG off the back of the £25m sale of Ben Gannon Doak to Bournemouth.

After five years of loyal service, it’d be understandable if the 29-year-old wants to move on to pastures new in the coming weeks, and he’d depart with the fondest wishes of a fan base who’d welcome him back to Anfield with open arms in future years.