5 Liverpool stars at risk of exit once Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez arrive
Florian Wirtz could set Liverpool back around £118m if he arrives at Anfield this summer and the club's spending could hit around £200m at this early stage, meaning they will be forced to sanction some outgoings
Liverpool will be forced to balance the books this summer should they complete lucrative deals for Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez, who are the club's top transfer targets. The Reds are being quoted around £118million by Bayer Leverkusen for German playmaker Wirtz in what is set to be the most expensive deal in Premier League history.
Bournemouth left-back Kerkez, meanwhile, should set Liverpool back around £45m, which would take their summer spending to almost than £200m on three players after completing a move for Jeremie Frimpong.
Liverpool will need to make sure they remain within the Premier League's PSR financial rules and therefore Arne Slot will have to sanction a handful of exits.
After winning the Premier League, it makes sense for the Dutchman to trim his squad slightly and freshen it up. There are a handful of players whose futures are uncertain at Anfield and could be on the chopping block.
Mirror Football has taken a look at five players who could be on their way out of Liverpool once they have started splashing the cash this summer.
Harvey Elliott
The midfielder has become a clear candidate for the exit door at Liverpool after he recently spoke out to confirm he wants to play regularly and doesn't want to "waste years of his career" on the subs bench.
Elliott played just 18 times in the Premier League last season as Liverpool romped to the title, with 16 of those coming as a substitute.
But should Wirtz arrive at Anfield, that could further limit his opportunities and Liverpool will know that selling Elliott would stand them in good stead as far as PSR is concerned because he is a home grown player.
Elliott said: "It's just a situation that me and the team have to have a conversation about because I'm coming into an age now where I'm 22, I'm going to be 23 next season," said Elliott when asked if he is considering leaving Liverpool.
"I don't really want to be wasting years on my career because it's a short career. You don't know what's going to happen. I need to reflect. I need to see if I'm content in doing what I'm doing and how can I improve as a player because that's the most important thing.
"I just want to improve and be the best possible version of myself. If that's to go somewhere else, then it's a decision that I'm going to have to make and I just need to see what happens. Nothing makes me want to leave. I love the club, I love the fans, the team. I support them as well. But most importantly, it's just about what's best for my career."
Federico Chiesa
The Italian has barely played for Liverpool since joining from Juventus for £10m last summer, with injuries significantly halting his progress.
In fact, Chiesa started just four times in all competitions and featured only 14 times in total - scoring twice - as he struggled to make an impact for Slot.
Chiesa looks way down the pecking order at Anfield and there are also still doubts over his fitness levels after experiencing a number of setbacks and the Daily Mail have claimed he is considering moving back to Italy.
The player himself admitted he would sit down with his agent and family to discuss his future but said he "wouldn't mind" staying with Liverpool despite enduring "frustration" with his situation.
He told Corrirere dello Sport: "The year is over. But it's an experience I would do again. Soon I will sit down at the table with the club, Fali (Ramadani, his agent) and my family to find the best solution. I wouldn't mind staying in Liverpool at all.
"In the autumn Liverpool were going three times as fast as the others, an incredible intensity. At the beginning I felt the frustration… The desire to play was there, I put it aside, I understood the situation."
Darwin Nunez
Since joining Liverpool for £85m in 2022, Nunez has been something of a 'nearly man' - always chipping in with goals but never becoming the main man at Liverpool.
There was so much hope for the Uruguayan after he arrived from Benfica off the back of netting 34 times from 41 appearances.
The forward can pop up with an important goal and clearly has talent but he is yet to justify his huge price tag and continues to be only a squad player under Slot.
This season he only started eight times in the Premier League but it was in the cup competitions where he made his mark as he chipped in with seven goals across the season - down from 18 in 2023-24.
Nunez is now being linked with a move away after being linked with Arsenal and even Manchester United, while Saudi Pro League clubs are also believed to be weighing up a move.
With Luis Diaz appearing to be the first choice striker at Liverpool, Foot Mercato have claimed Al-Hilal are among those monitoring the player.
Kostas Tsimikas
With Kerkez coming in, it wouldn't make logical sense for Liverpool to have three left-backs, so you'd bank on one of the other two leaving the club.
While Andy Robertson has appeared to fall out of favour under Slot in the last season, he remains the more experienced option who has been with Liverpool for eight seasons.
Tsimikas will be the more frustrated player if - after he began to finally challenge Robertson at left-back - Kerkez comes in and replaces him immediately, therefore he could be looking to leave in the near future.
Various reports have claimed Liverpool don't see Tsimikas as their main left-back long term and that he could be used as one of the players to make way for more financial leeway.
He has played 114 games for Liverpool in total and clocked 28 appearances in the 2024-25 campaign but when the Reds search for players to shift, Tsimikas should be high up on the list.
Joe Gomez
Gomez nearly left Liverpool for Newcastle last season before the Magpies pulled the plug on the deal and was hoping for new lease of life after Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp.
But Gomez had a hugely frustrating campaign that was hampered by hamstring injuries - which forced him to miss a total of 28 games.
He hasn't played since February and only managed a total of 17 appearances in all competitions.
Now, Slot could be ready to cash in on the injury-prone defender if an offer comes in for him this summer.
According to the Liverpool Echo, Gomez is facing a "transfer crossroads" moment and it would not be a surprise if he left the club after ten years on Merseyside.
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