Maybe Liverpool aren’t due for a summer mass exodus?

Liverpool fans have been impatiently awaiting the summer for Jurgen Klopp to change the squad, but maybe it won’t be as big as expected.

You’ve seen the countless numbers, tweets and pictures all capturing the essence of the notion that Liverpool are in for a busy summer. Jurgen Klopp’s first chance to change the squad to his liking.

These numbers had merit, of course. When Klopp had his first summer at Borussia Dortmund, he shipped out 17 players and brought in 13. Naturally, that led to busy expectations at Melwood this summer.

This idea seemed to be confirmed based on the disappointing nature of the team plus the lack of movement in January. Klopp surely HAS TO change the team. This player isn’t good enough, that player isn’t good enough. You know, standard Liverpool fan talk.

But then something weird happened: Klopp got his inherited squad playing well. They got into the League Cup Final, albeit the ground work was laid by Brendan Rodgers then it took penalties in the semi-final, but they were there. They topped their Europa League group, something that certainly wasn’t a foregone conclusion the day Rodgers left.

Liverpool started picking up points in the league, pushed Manchester City to penalties in the final and were progressing in Europe. Most of all, the team was playing well. A lot of players have really turned a corner under Klopp.

Next: All players in the Liverpool squad: Stay or sell?

If Liverpool can get past Dortmund with the team currently constructed and make a run at the Europa League trophy, that means a lot of players in the side would be excelling.

Players like Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Lucas Leiva and Joe Allen may have been popular picks to be moved on a few months ago for varying reasons like playing time, raising funds for incomings or the good ol’ “he’s not good enough!” It’d be difficult seeing more than one of them leave, if any.

Goalkeeper is already a problem position. The current combination of Simon Mignolet, Adam Bogdan and Danny Ward is rather shambolic, with apologies to Ward because I’ve never seen him play but if he can’t ever get a game ahead of Mignolet then that’s just not a great sign.

But after that, where is a glaring hole for the team? If not enough players are exiting then not as many can come in or a log jam will be created, someone will be left unhappy and could cause friction in the team.

Joel Matip and Marko Grujic are already confirmed for the summer. A central defender and a central midfielder, though Grujic isn’t a player that will walk into the team like Matip is expected to do. So Matip is for the starting XI and Grujic is for squad depth and the future.

More from Rush The Kop

• Set to return, Virgil Van Dijk facing heavy criticism back home
• Liverpool making late comebacks all the rage once again
• Wolves tilt gives Klopp opportunity to tinker with lineup following international duty
• Players to watch in the matchup with Wolves
• Predicting Liverpool’s Next Five Premier League Fixtures

Maybe the team could use another anchor in defense, but that’d mean Martin Skrtel would (likely) have to leave. Despite everyone all of a sudden thinking that the Slovakian has literally never done anything correct in his entire career, it’s not so simple to move on a player who’s been at the club for a decade. Plus, it’s fair to imagine he’s a good voice in the locker room. He’s a warrior on the pitch. He shouldn’t be a first choice defender, but the team could do much worse without him.

Remember when everyone hated Kolo Toure because an injury crisis meant he had to start too many games in a row? It’s the same idea. Take him for what he is.

Liverpool could do with more goals, what club couldn’t? Christian Benteke could be on the out, that opens up a spot at striker though Klopp has regularly been opting for just one striker, where Divock Origi, Daniel Sturridge and Danny Ings are already vying for. So the ideal player would come in and be able to play winger as well, a place the team is thin.

Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana have been populating the wings, part necessity and part to get those two and Roberto Firmino in the team at the same time. Lazar Markovic will likely stay with the team when he returns from loan in the summer, Jordon Ibe could return to the player with a bright future that he was and Sheyi Ojo might keep taking strides to stay on the fringes of the first team. All of a sudden, just one player arriving in that area seems sufficient.

A top rate central midfielder might be in order, but if Allen nor Lucas leaves, with Grujic coming in as well as the presence of Jordan Rossiter and other youngsters, where can they all get ample playing time?

This isn’t to say that there will be no movement in the summer. That’d be a mistake, obviously. Liverpool still are barely ahead of mid-table. It’s just to say that maybe there won’t be 17 players on their way out the door.

Maybe. But you’ve seen Klopp’s Dortmund stats, though. They MUST be replicated, right?! #numbers! #sports! #analysis!