Two Liverpool players are set to be axed by Arne Slot after being demoted during the club’s pre-season.
Liverpool started their pre-season with a surprising loss to Championship team Preston North End in a closed-door friendly last week. Now, they’re continuing their preparations with a tour of the United States where Klopp’s team will face Real Betis, Arsenal, and Manchester United.
As they head to America, the main squad will be accompanied by all but two players, who are staying back with the under-21s. This suggests that a departure from Anfield could be imminent for them. According to The Athletic, centre-backs Rhys Williams and Billy Koumetio are likely to leave Liverpool this summer.
During pre-season, Williams, 23, has been drawing interest from clubs in Turkey and League One, having played 19 matches across all competitions during Liverpool’s injury-plagued 2020/21 season.
Meanwhile, Koumetio has only appeared twice for Liverpool and is reportedly being pursued by teams in Scotland and France.
With Klopp having the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Jarrell Quansah, Sepp van der Berg, Nathaniel Phillips, and Amara Nallo available at centre-back, it seems Williams and Koumetio are set to move on from Merseyside.
Slot, now two weeks into his first pre-season with Liverpool following Jurgen Klopp’s departure, emphasizes the importance of facing tough opponents and increasing training sessions to prepare for the 2024/25 season.
“We are up against strong teams,” Slot remarked. “Our focus is on implementing our ideas and maintaining our excellent fitness levels. Getting the players fit is our top priority.”
He added, “With more players returning, the overall quality will significantly improve. The combination of rigorous training sessions and returning players will enhance our performance beyond what we achieved on Friday.”
