L'pool say farewell to a quartet of aces

Liverpool have confirmed Naby Keita, Roberto Firmino, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will all leave the club when their contracts expire at the end of the season.

The quartet are all out of contract from June 30 and the club confirmed their departures in a statement released on Wednesday.

It read: "Liverpool FC can confirm Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will leave the club upon the expiry of their contracts this summer.

"The quartet will each embark on new chapters in their careers following the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, having helped the Reds lift a host of the game’s biggest honours during their spells at Anfield.

"All four players will depart with our gratitude and appreciation for the contribution they have made and we wish Roberto, Naby, James, Alex and their families the very best for the future."

Firmino, 31, will leave Anfield having won the Premier League, Champions League, Club World Cup, FA Cup and League Cup during his eight-year spell at the club.

He joined Liverpool from Hoffenheim in June 2015 for £29 million. The Brazil international has scored 109 goals in 360 games for Liverpool since his arrival at the club.

Keita, 28, has played 129 games for Liverpool during his five seasons at the club with injuries and fitness problems stopping the former RB Leipzig midfielder from showing his best. Liverpool signed Keita for what was a club record fee of £52.5 million in July 2018. That deal has since been surpassed by Virgil van Dijk, Darwin Nunez and Alisson.

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Keita will leave Klopp’s side having won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League and the Club World Cup at Liverpool. He last played for Liverpool on February 25 as the Guinea international is currently sidelined with injury.

Milner, 37, joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Manchester City in June 2015. He helped Klopp’s side win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and Club World Cup.

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Oxlade-Chamberlain, 29, moved to Liverpool from rivals Arsenal for £35 million in August 2017.

The attacking midfielder, who has won five trophies at the club, has made 146 appearances for the club with injuries affecting his time at the club.

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The four players are likely to be given a warm farewell by the Anfield crowd on Saturday when Liverpool host Aston Villa, and the club said that "special acknowledgements" would be paid to the quartet at Anfield.