Former England international Kevin Phillips thinks that there will be several clubs “queuing up” to sign Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana if he is released by the club this summer.
The 31-year-old will be out of contract at Anfield at the end of the season and, according to a recent report from the Liverpool Echo, it is expected that he will bring the curtain down on a six-year stay on Merseyside once his current deal expires at the end of June. Phillips also thinks that Lallana will call time on his Liverpool career this year but he feels that the midfielder could be a shrewd acquisition for prospective suitors and he expects the player to be in demand in the summer transfer window.
Speaking to Football Insider, the ex-Sunderland striker said: “I think he will move on. There will be a few big clubs queuing up to take him. It depends on how Klopp views his position, whether he sees him as an impact player off the bench.
“Lallana might feel he has been there a few years now and at this stage of his career and the age he is at it is maybe time to play week in, week out. He is still a relatively young man and as much as you are at one of the biggest clubs in Europe, winning the Champions League and playing in the Champions League you are not actually playing regularly – that is what football is all about. I would not be surprised if he pitched up somewhere else next year.”
Phillips’ remarks about Lallana’s current standing at Liverpool and what he could offer to other clubs are fair, given the 31-year-old’s fortunes in recent years. The ex-Southampton midfielder has struggled for game-time at Anfield over the past three seasons since an injury in a friendly against Atletico Madrid in 2017, making just nine Premier League starts in that time. Even with injuries to Fabinho, Naby Keita and Jordan Henderson in the current campaign, the 31-year-old has not been able to command a regular berth in the Reds’ midfield, so it would be no great surprise if he moved elsewhere.
However, Lallana could still have plenty to offer to other clubs in England or overseas. He showed during the 2016/17 season that, when consistently fit and starting, he can be a reliable source of goals, scoring eight and setting up seven in that campaign. He also showed in the 1-1 draw at Manchester United last October that he can be an effective impact player, coming off the bench to score a late equaliser at Old Trafford.
His passing ability has not diminished with time, finding a team-mate with 85.7% of passes in 2019/20. That average is higher than fellow Liverpool midfielders Fabinho, Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (as per WhoScored) and is an improvement on last season’s 82.1%. It even tops the 84.3% passing success rate he clocked during his magnificent 2016/17 campaign.
Lallana’s time at Anfield seems to be nearing its end but, as Phillips has said, it should not come as a surprise if several clubs are keen to snap him up when the summer rolls around.
Liverpool fans, do you agree with Phillips’ verdict on Lallana’s transfer prospects? Share your views in the comments section below!
