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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Josh Williams

Liverpool about to get closer look at what major summer overhaul could look like

The core of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool squad has remained largely the same for a number of years now, with many supporters and pundits suggesting that new faces are required ahead of next season.

This weekend, the Reds are scheduled to make the trip to London to face Crystal Palace, who managed to successfully navigate their own overhaul over the course of the last summer transfer window.

The Eagles had a number of players coming to the end of their contracts but rather than opting to keep them, they allowed many to leave, before signing younger models with bags of potential for the future.

The likes of Patrick van Aanholt, Andros Townsend, Mamadou Sakho, James McCarthy, Scott Dann and Gary Cahill all departed from the club for free, with those players representing an average age of around 32.

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In order to freshen up their ranks, Palace bought five players with an average age of just 23. Marc Guehi, Joachim Andersen, Odsonne Eduoard, Michael Olise and Will Hughes joined Patrick Vieira's squad, with Conor Gallagher also arriving on loan from Chelsea.

Liverpool don't quite have as many players with expiring contracts, and major surgery isn't needed, but the squad could benefit from a fresh start with fresh legs replacing recognised squad members.

James Milner's contract will end in the summer, and the futures of players such as Divock Origi, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Neco Williams, Naby Keita and Nat Phillips remain uncertain.

Moreover, Roberto Firmino is now aged 30, and Sadio Mane is 29, with the contracts of the attacking pair due to expire at the end of next season unless offers are made to the duo between now and then.

Ultimately, the Reds have the opportunity to undergo a revamp in the coming months, and their upcoming opponents could act as an example of how to successfully reconstruct a squad in one window.

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