Liverpool to have a massive summer clear-out

Kenny Dalglish’s summer spending spree will hinge on his ability to cut some serious dead wood at Anfield.

The Liverpool manager is hoping to bring in four or five new faces during the transfer window, at a cost of £50million-plus.

But while the Reds’ American owners have sanctioned a bold move by the club in the market in a serious attempt to gatecrash the Premier League top four next season, they have also made clear the axe must be taken to a top-heavy squad.

Dalglish has as many as 13 players who are surplus to requirements at Anfield… at a staggering cost of more than £600,000 a week in wages.

That equates to more than £30million a year being paid to players who were either out on loan last season, or cast to the furthest fringes of the first team squad with barely a hope of seeing some action.

Principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner have already expressed their incredulity at the obscene level of wages paid to players such as Milan Jovanovic and Joe Cole, who were barely able to the make the match day squad last season.

That pair alone command more than £200,000 a week in wages, and with fringe player Maxi Rodriguez – who will be surplus to requirements when Stewart Downing arrives this summer – also on wages thought to be around £100,000 a week, it means huge sums were spent on three players who were brought in on free transfers.

But it gets worse for Dalglish…

Read more: The LFC Zone

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