Liverpool FC: Milan Jovanovic Out, 5 More Players Who Might Be Shipped Off

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The transfer markets generally are risky for any team. There are transfers that work wonderfully well, and then there are those disasters.

Liverpool over the past couple of seasons has seen more of the latter as compared to the former.

This led to a the collection of a large number of below-par and overpaid players in the squad.

Liverpool has started the rebuilding process by buying players like Luis Suarez, Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Alexander Doni since the new owners took over the reigns.

But along with buying new players, it is equally important to ship the players off who seem surplus to the requirements at Anfield, especially to free up funds as well as the remove such players from the wage-bill of the club.

Liverpool have already started the process with selling off Paul Konchesky to Leicester City and the reported free transfer of Milan Jovanovic to Anderlecht.

However, a number of other players are expected to leave Liverpool before the transfer window closes on Aug. 31.

The list looks at the five most likely candidates for the same.

Christian Poulsen

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Possible Destinations: Fulham, FC Copenhagen

Signed by Roy Hodgson from Juventus for £4.5 million, Christian Poulsen was one of the failed signings made by the erstwhile manager.

It immediately became clear that the 30-year-old Dane was not good enough to play for the Reds. His bad performances instantly made him a hated figure at Anfield, which also led to a lot of jeering by the normally supportive Liverpool supporters.

Initially brought in as a replacement for the want-away Javier Mascherano, he lost the starting place in the team to the ever-improving Lucas Leiva initially and later to Jay Spearing.

The arrival of Kenny Dalglish led to him being pushed down the pecking order behind even the young players like Spearing and Jonjo Shelvey.

This, coupled with the arrival of players in the center of midfield like Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson, means that Liverpool already have more players than required in central midfield.

Poulsen seems to be the one that is least required among the plethora of central midfielders and looks almost a certainty to leave Liverpool after just one season at Anfield.

Joe Cole

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Possible Destinations: Queens Park Rangers, Tottenham Hotspurs, West Ham United

When Joe Cole's negotiations with Chelsea broke down in the summer of 2010, a large number of clubs were alerted with regard to his availability.

For a player who had spent all his playing life in London, his signing by Liverpool, which was not even among the favorite clubs was seen as a sort of a coup. 

He was supposed to be the marquee signing for Roy Hodgson, especially because funds were not available for any new signings.

Cole was expected to provide the creativity that had been lacking in the Liverpool midfield.

However, a red card in the first game against Arsenal, coupled with a injuries and a number of uninspiring performances eventually made him one of the biggest liabilities in the Liverpool squad, especially when his wages were about £90,000 per week.

Though he has featured prominently in the preseason friendlies, he is expected to make a move back to London with three London clubs all seemingly wanting to avail his services.

David N'Gog

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Possible Destinations: West Ham United, Bolton Wanderers

He was one among a large number of young players brought from across continental Europe by Rafael Benitez.

Signed from Paris Saint-Germain as a 19-year-old, he was thrown into the deep end at a very young age due to the lack of striking options available at Liverpool.

His frailties were further exposed in the 2009-10 season, when Fernando Torres was regularly injured leading to N'Gog being one one expected to provide the goals for the Reds.

He does not seem to have the required skills to be a striker for a top club and interest has been seen in the French striker from clubs such as Bolton and West Ham.

Liverpool have also secured the signings of players such as Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll.

The Reds are also rumored to be in the market for a backup striker.

This coupled with the development of Academy youngsters such as Raheem Sterling and Adam Morgan does seem to suggest the end of the road for N'Gog at Anfield.

Brad Jones

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Possible Destinations: Unknown

Signed from Middlesbrough last summer for £2.3 million, he was brought in as a backup to Pepe Reina after the departure of Diego Cavalieri.

However, over the course of the year, he did not start even a single Premier League game for the Reds, and his only two appearances for Liverpool were in a League Cup and a Europa League match.

However, during the latter half of the season, he fell down the pecking order behind the highly rated youngster Peter Gulacsi.

Further proof of the same was provided when he was sent out on loan to Derby County in march.

Further, with the signing of Alexander Doni from Roma, Jones is seen to be surplus to the requirements at Anfield and is considered to be a certainty to leave Liverpool before the transfer window closes at the end of August.

Alberto Aquilani

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Possible Destinations: Fiorentina, AC Milan, Napoli

The inclusion of Aquilani on the list might be the most controversial.

Signed from Roma in 2009 for a record £20 million, he was injured for most of the 2009-10 season, managing only 12 starts along the way.

Although he had managed to impress most fans whenever he played, he was mysteriously shipped off to Juventus on loan last season, a move that was strange given the lack of depth in the Liverpool squad.

During his loan spell, he started 31 games for Juventus, a good number for a player with a reputation of being injured, becoming one of the best performing players for club last season.

He returned to Liverpool following a breakdown in contract talks between Liverpool and Juventus.

He has been featuring prominently in the preseason and has been arguably the most impressive player for the Reds during the same period.

He has been constantly linked with a move back to Italy with many clubs such as Napoli, Fiorentina and AC Milan interested.

Though many fans would like Aquilani to stay, but with Liverpool having a number of options in central midfield, Liverpool would not want to have a unhappy player in the squad.

Bill Shankly wanted only those players in the squad who genuinely wanted to play for Liverpool, and going by that logic, it makes perfect sense to sell Aquilani off and use the funds generated to plug the gaps in other areas of the squad.

Others

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Along with the names mentioned in the list, the exit of a number of fringe players is also expected, particularly to control the inflated wage bill at Liverpool.

Already players such as Chris Mavinga have made a move and other such as Nabil El Zhar and Philipp Degen might join in exiting.

Others such as Emiliano Insua and Daniel Pacheco might move out in search of first team football as well.

Stephen Darby and Peter Gulacsi have already moved on loan spells, and there might be others who might be sent off on loan to Championship teams to provide some first team actions to the youngsters and the fringe players.