Liverpool are expecting Adam Lallana to leave the club next summer when his contract expires, reports claim after the Reds closed in on adding another midfielder to their squad earlier this week. Takumi Minamino is set to join up with his new team-mates in January should he pass his medical.
According to The Athletic, Lallana will wave goodbye to Anfield at the end of the season.
“I’m not sure if [Minamino] is viewed as the Lallana replacement but it certainly strengthens that area of the squad,” James Pearce said during a Q&A.
“Lallana will leave at the end of the season.”
While Lallana has been reinvented this season as a No 6, he is ultimately an attacking midfielder and will therefore need to be replaced.
Injuries have ultimately hampered his Liverpool career in recent years, despite being a key figure during Jurgen Klopp’s first few seasons on Merseyside.
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Pundit Darren Bent recently explained that he has sympathy for Lallana, who has been so unfortunate with injuries in recent times to the expense of his undeniable natural talent.
“Yeah it is tough for him and he probably knows that his (Liverpool stay) is soon coming towards the end,” Bent told Football Insider.
“And obviously with the Liverpool team like it is, he isn’t going to get in that midfield three.
“He’s an intelligent guy, he knows that it’s just about him getting over injuries and going somewhere he is going to play.”
Klopp said in November that he doesn’t know what will happen to Lallana at the end of the season and urged the midfielder to focus on helping the team.
“I don’t know exactly what will happen in May, for anybody by the way, but the best thing a footballer can do when you have the opportunity is play well and that’s what Adam is doing,” he said.
“Now is the second time in a row, when he came on against [Manchester] United he was good.
“After a long time he had with some injuries here and there, he is in outstanding shape physically. That’s the most important thing for a career and all the rest, we will see.”