Squad outcast confirms he’s staying and it’s annoying

Liverpool outcast Adam Lallana has confirmed that he won’t leave the club during the summer transfer window and fans are annoyed.

The 31-year-old has only played 568 minutes for the Reds all season, but remains convinced that Jurgen Klopp values his contribution and is sure Merseyside is the place for him.

Simon Peach, who’s the chief football writer for the Associated Press, asked Lallana if he still had a future at Liverpool – and the playmaker was firm in his belief that he had.

Lallana said he’s spoken with Klopp and the recruitment staff and claimed to have received personal assurances that he was going to play a big part in their thinking for 2019/2020.

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But why?

We all know that Klopp really likes the playmaker, but with only 16 appearances this season he wasn’t exactly able to prove his worth during a campaign that featured a Champions League win and only one loss in the Premier League.

There was a time when Lallana was the first name on the team sheet, we all know that. His high energy, high work rate, creative game is the perfect foil for how Klopp likes his teams to play – but haven’t we moved beyond an injury prone 31-year-old?

If the former Southampton man knows he’s only going to be a reserve option then this decision could make sense. Lallana could play a mentor role, plus he’s homegrown and therefor valuable in any squad.

He can also give Roberto Firmino a chop out when the Brazilian tires from playing nearly 60 games a season, but you somehow doubt that Lallana is a ‘big part’ of Liverpool’s plans for the future.

The playmaker is contracted until 2020, with the option of a further year, and you suspect that he might be the latest player to run down their deal and leave on a free after seeing their game time limited.