Adam Lallana will not play for Liverpool again to prevent transfer-jeopardising injury, says Jurgen Klopp
Midfielder will leave the club as a free agent at the end of the season after signing a short-term extension
Liverpool’s Adam Lallana will not play for the club again as the club honours an agreement with the out-of-contract midfielder not to put him at risk of injury.
The 32-year-old signed a short-term deal to tie him over until the end of this extended campaign but it was always the intention for him to leave this summer.
And while Lallana is available to play should he be needed, manager Jurgen Klopp respects the player enough to not jeopardise his next move.
“It is clear Adam will leave the club in the summer,” said the Reds boss. “But now we have a difficult situation, but I will respect Adam a lot. And everything with Adam is sorted, let me say it like this.
“He is so fit, he is training, everything is fine. But yes, the future is his future, and if we need his help on the pitch we can get it. He is there.
“He trains 100 per cent but as long as we don’t need it, he will just train. That is the normal thing.
“I think there were a lot of discussions about players without contracts, with him there was not even a discussion.
“It was clear Adam would extend his contract and he wants to do that as well, but he will not put any risk on his future or whatever. That is absolutely clear.
“For now, if you ask me about it, I miss already everything about him. He is one of the most influential players on the training quality I have ever had in my life. He is an incredible professional.
“So he is one of the most important players of the time since I am here so I wish him only the best for the future.
“From my point of view he is already a legend here, so he can become a legend somewhere else from next season on.”
PA
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