Liverpool’s stance when it comes to some of their lesser-used squad players has been rather consistent in recent years.
When it comes to the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri, Divock Origi, Marko Grujic and Harry Wilson, club insiders insisted the Reds would be happy retaining the quartet’s services, but would consider selling if a suitable bid was made and the players wished to leave.
The only change in stance across the past four years concerns when the club decided they were no longer willing to let the latter duo leave on loan, though they had to back down from that position last summer once the Premier League transfer window had closed.
Whenever speculation about the quartet’s future has arisen, Liverpool have stayed true to that position and hoped to bring in roughly £18m-£25m for each player.
And that was the case again last summer, even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, as the Reds continued to maintain that Jurgen Klopp would be equally happy if all four remained on Merseyside.
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But when the Premier League transfer window closed on October 5 and the quartet all remained on Liverpool’s books, it quickly became clear that wasn’t the case at all.
Boasting more than the maximum 17 overseas players they were allowed to register in their Premier League and Champions League squads once the deadline had passed, it became clear something had to give and the Reds' previously tough 'sell only' stance was forced to change as the club had to re-think their plans.
Not wanting an unavailable player kicking his heels on the sidelines for at least half a season, well aware of the damage that would do to one's transfer value, Liverpool wasted no time in sending Grujic on loan to Porto on October 6.
Meanwhile, with the Football League transfer window closing on October 16, Wilson was sent to Cardiff City on loan, having seen a permanent move to Burnley fail to materialise when a fee could not be agreed, while Harvey Elliott was allowed to depart for Blackburn Rovers on a temporary basis after Shaqiri’s own exit had fallen through earlier that month.
Despite varied interest in their services over the years, no club has come close to meeting the Reds’ demands for the quartet with talks breaking down on a number of occasions despite interest from the Bundesliga, Turkey and the likes of Burnley and Wolves.
And while club insiders again communicated Liverpool would not force any player out this summer, and would only sell up if they asked to leave and a suitable bid was made, the Reds’ stance this summer has clearly softened.
Granted, after further seasons on loan or in reserve, it is perhaps understandable why Grujic, Wilson, Shaqiri and Origi might now be keen to move on.
But having found their squad littered with too many reserve options last summer once the transfer deadline had passed, forcing the aforementioned come down, Liverpool have moved to ensure they do not fall into the same trap this year.
Having refused to budge on their values of their reserve players in the past, the coronavirus pandemic and previous lack of suitable bids has indeed prompted them to lower their asking-prices, well-aware at how much more of a hit they could have been forced to take last summer had loan suitors not been found and if they faced the same dilemma again this year.
Grujic signed for Porto permanently in a £10.5m deal while Fulham snapped up Wilson for £12m last month with agreed feeds considerably lower than what the Reds had previously demanded.
The latest reports suggest Liverpool are now willing to see Shaqiri leave at a small loss, having joined the club for £13.5m in the summer of 2018, with Sky Sports claiming he now has a £12.75m price on his head, though reports overseas suggest he could move on for as little as €10m.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen how much the Reds are looking to recoup for Origi, with his pedigree rapidly falling since scoring in Liverpool's Champions League final win over Tottenham Hotspur two years ago.
Once tipped for a £25m move away as Klopp debated hanging onto the Belgian and he was rewarded with a new contract, even a speculative £15m asking-price now feels a little ambitious for a striker who failed to score in the Premier League last season and whose stalled progress saw him drastically fall out of contention for a place in the Belgium squad for Euro 2020.
Hoping to bring in a combined £100m for the quartet just 18 months ago, £50m now looks a best case scenario for the Reds.
But while asking prices have had to be lowered in accordance with the financial ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic, and Liverpool starting to move on their lesser-used options as a result, their work with regards to outgoings is by no means done.
Having been burnt last year when the Premier League transfer window closed, the Reds will be working hard to ensure history does not repeat itself and their squad is not over-stacked come the end of August.
After all, their sudden softened stance suggests they are keen to raise funds and make room to bring in their own new recruits before the end of the summer transfer window.
Yet, despite lowered asking prices making it easier to successfully move on the likes of Grujic and Wilson, they already find themselves in a familiar position with less than four weeks to go until the transfer deadline.
With the start of the new Premier League season little over a week away, Klopp's squad already boasts one more than the full quota of 17 overseas players, with Loris Karius likely to be their left out 18th man if he fails to move on.
Shaqiri is currently well-placed to be the next senior man to depart, which would free up a space, but it highlights the work that still needs to be done and why Ibrahima Konate was very much a priority at the start of the summer, with Liverpool in desperate need of a new centre-back and well-aware of the current limitations with regards to squad registration.
With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Takumi Minamino, Ben Davies, Nat Phillips and Neco Williams all facing uncertain futures, alongside Shaqiri, Origi and Karius, the Reds do possess other players they could move on to free up additional room in their squad.
But currently working against a 'one in, one out' programme with regards to overseas talent as a result, such a list only emphasises further Liverpool's need for homegrown talent and why links with the likes of Ollie Watkins and Jarrod Bowen persist.
Yet the homegrown transfer market is inflated, as proved by Jack Grealish joining Man City for £100m, Jadon Sancho signing for Manchester United for £73m and Ben White being snapped up by Arsenal for £50m, with it requiring significant investment if the Reds wish bring in a senior qualifying player.
Admittedly, that could prove beneficial when it comes to placing a value on Phillips' head following an impressive season in the Premier League last season.
But when it comes to other players the Reds would be willing to move on, they may find themselves having to lower their initial demands once again to ensure they manage to find buyers before the transfer window closes.
And while supporters look enviously towards Liverpool's rivals, watching City spend big on Grealish and pursue Kane, United splash the cash on Sancho and Raphael Varane and Chelsea prepare to break their transfer record once again to re-sign Romelu Lukaku, the Reds are very much playing the waiting game.
Once bitten, twice shy, their experience of last summer lives long in the mind and leaves them with no other choice.
