Slot must axe struggling Liverpool star who’s becoming the new Sturridge

Right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold looks almost certain to depart Liverpool this summer, with his contract set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

The 26-year-old has largely been touted with a free transfer to join Real Madrid, with numerous publications already claiming that a deal is complete for him to join the LaLiga giants.

Such news has angered supporters, with his potential move leaving Arne Slot’s side shortchanged and unable to receive a fee for a talent who’s been a leading player in their success.

He’s made over 300 appearances for his boyhood side, playing a vital role in various levels of success, claiming one Premier League title, with another set to follow in the coming weeks.

The defender isn’t the only player to depart Anfield on a free in recent years, albeit in different circumstances to another player who captured the hearts of the fanbase during his spell on Merseyside.

Daniel Sturridge’s time as a player at Liverpool

Striker Daniel Sturridge formed a deadly partnership with Luis Suárez during his stint at Liverpool, with the pair firing the Reds to title contention under Brendan Rodgers over a decade ago.

The Englishman scored 67 times in his 160 appearances during his six-and-a-half years on Merseyside, producing countless moments of magic including his effort against former side Chelsea.

However, despite his goalscoring exploits, he was unable to prove his talent on a regular basis, with injuries massively plaguing his time and subsequently spending long periods on the sidelines.

During his stint on Merseyside, the now-retired striker suffered 15 separate injuries, missing a total of 121 matches – missing an average of 18.5 matches per season he was on the club’s books.

Such a record left the hierarchy with no choice but to offload him in the summer of 2019, but six years on, Slot has found a new version of the Englishman, desperately needing to offload him to avoid losing another talent for nothing.

Why Slot needs to sell Liverpool’s new Sturridge this summer

Despite Slot’s impressive first season in England, which has seen him take the top-flight by storm, he may have a job on his hands to sustain such a success next season.

Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah could all depart the club on a free transfer this summer, giving the Dutchman a huge task in replacing the trio given their importance to the side.

However, he may want to offload numerous other first-team members this summer, including Diogo Jota, who’s fallen well beyond the high standards he set for himself during his early days on Merseyside.

The Portuguese international joined the Reds in a £45m deal from Wolves in the summer of 2020, notching 34 goals during his first two years after his big-money transfer.

However, he’s struggled to achieve such levels in 2024/25, scoring just nine times across all competitions, with injuries starting to prevent his progress at Anfield.

Jota has only been able to start 12 league outings so far during Slot’s reign, leading to reports that the club were willing to cash in on him this summer to fund a move for a new talisman.

The 28-year-old has two years left on his contract, but with the former Atlético Madrid ace now entering the latter stages of his professional career, the upcoming window could present the last opportunity to recoup the majority of the fee paid for his signature.

Given his injury issues and lack of form when fit, Slot must look to offload him this window, joining Trent in not featuring in his plans as he looks to continue his impressive start as the club’s manager next season.

It may seem a brutal call, but the football industry is an unforgiving one, with decisions needing to be made for the better of the club, subsequently leading to fresh blood arriving to fill the void.

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