Liverpool’s recruitment team ‘warned club about ageing squad’

Liverpool’s recruitment team ‘warned club about ageing squad’

Liverpool’s recruitment team warned club chief’s about the ageing nature of the squad nearly two years ago, according to reports.

The Reds have endured a nightmare 2022-23 campaign so far, currently sitting eighth in the Premier League table and eliminated from Champions League football.

Their struggle for form this year comes amid a transitional period for the club, as they deal with an ageing midfield and the summer departure of Sadio Mane.

In response to that, the Reds had long-been pursuing Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham, but ruled themselves out of the running to sign the former Birmingham City man on Tuesday evening.

It’s left some fans suggesting that the Reds need a squad refresh in order to help their re-build, which is what the Liverpool recruitment team had warned in 2021.

According to Sky Sports, two years ago, Liverpool’s recruitment team had raised concerns that the squad was straying away from the “right football age”.

The starters needed to be supplemented in a slow build of the “next great team”. Instead, Liverpool neglected their most pressing need.

They also pointed out issues with the blanket contract extensions that the club were handing out during the summer of 2021, which has come back to bite them.

Just two years ago, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Alisson Becker were all handed new deals.

For context, three (Henderson, van Dijk and Alisson) of those six players are now over the age of 30 — while Robertson and Fabinho are both 29-years-old.

Their ageing squad has failed to reproduce the performances that many have come to expect from them and it’s seen the Reds struggle domestically this year.

They’ve been strongly linked with a move for Dortmund star Bellingham, given his close relationship with Henderson and Alexander-Arnold, but that move seems off.

Liverpool have now withdrawn from the battle to sign the 19-year-old, deciding instead to use what funds they have available on a rebuild, rather than on what — at more than £110m — would be a marquee signing.

However, the 19-year-old England midfielder will still be the subject of an intense bidding war if, as expected, he leaves Borussia Dortmund this summer.

It’s understood that Real Madrid are prepared to do whatever it takes to win the race to sign Bellingham this summer. — dailymailonline.