Two more names have joined the growing exodus from Liverpool of young high-potential talent as Sepp van den Berg and Bobby Clark completed moves away in the last day or so.
They join the likes of Fabio Carvalho who moved to Brentford a few weeks ago. Another Academy prospect, Tyler Morton, is expected to make a permanent exit this summer as well which would really be somewhat frustrating.
Stefan Bajčetić and Ben Doak are seen as loan candidates but a full transfer can't be ruled out if the right money comes in.
What's the long-term play with these moves?
It's almost like Liverpool are trying to do the opposite of Chelsea and get rid of as many high-ceiling youngsters as possible whereas the Blues are bringing them in swiftly and without reason.
Is this a case of a new coach/manager trying to stamp his authority at the club by removing the pieces that were molded by his predecessor? I don't think that is the case as someone like Morton played every match in the preseason and van den Berg got several starts as well.
Clark in particular was a key cog in the lone trophy that was secured in the 2023/24 campaign. He was part of "Klopp's Kids".
In fairness, Carvalho, van den Berg and Morton were all out on loan during last season but they are all clearly gifted players that have bright futures ahead.
While some of the fees that the Reds are getting for these players are very good, such as the £27.5m they could get for Carvalho. It makes sense financially but the football aspect is still cloudy.
Liverpool playing a fine line with squad depth
As we saw last term, injuries can strike at any moment and you have no idea who you will be relied on to call up to the big time.
All of the above players would make ideal rotation pieces without sacrificing a huge drop-off in talent from the First Team. I understand that players want to play games and sitting on the bench is hard, but when you are 18, 19, 21 or 22 etc., it's part of the journey.
Clark could start in the Champions League for RB Salzburg this season. That would be a great accomplishment for him personally, but from a Liverpool perspective, I think it's a case of selling way too early on a player.
All of the players mentioned in this article have shown recently the value and skills they have and the room for growth is still huge in all of them.
Slot is a man that could nurture that and maintain that development. However, the cupboard is not empty as the likes of Trey Nyoni, Kieran Morrison, Keyrol Figueroa and Jayden Danns are still here.
The Verdict
If Michael Edwards and the club can use this money to secure 2-3 first team signings this summer than they will be more than justified.
Right now, the optics of selling away so much young talent is not a good one for a club that is the only team in the Premier League to not make a senior team signing.
Was it a lock that all of these guys would become huge success stories at Liverpool? Obviously not, but it feels like they are doing this without a lot of concerted planning or vision. I'm for sure going to miss a player like Bobby Clark who showed he could really be something special.
I'll have my fingers crossed that Stefan and Doak only depart on loans. Those at least make more sense than outright sales of youngsters with no buyback options.
It's a strange transfer window for Liverpool and their willingness to part with so much future prospects does not lend itself to ultimate comfort amongst the fanbase.