Liverpool selling Nathaniel Clyne, Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana this summer would officially bring an end to a previous era of mediocrity at Anfield.
Under Jurgen Klopp, the Reds have gone from top-four hopefuls to the best club side in the world, winning last season’s Champions League and sitting on the verge of Premier League glory this time around.
In Clyne, Lovren and Lallana, Liverpool have three good footballers, but also individuals who feel like part of the club’s less successful past.
All three were brought in by Brendan Rodgers during the summer of 2014, and proved to be solid signings to begin with. As time has passed, however, their limitations have been increasingly exposed, mainly because Liverpool have hit a level they are not capable of reaching.
In the early part of Klopp’s reign, the trio were good enough to not look out of place, playing positives roles on the whole. Slowly but surely, however, they have all looked increasingly out of their depth, not helped by their constant injury problems.
Clyne was a very steady right-back at his best, but his attacking limitations were plain to see, with Trent Alexander-Arnold on another level in that respect.
A strong defender he may have been, but it became clear that the 28-year-old would not be able to shine in a side so dependent on the quality of their full-backs in the final third.
Lovren has arguably been the most divisive figure of the Klopp era, with the Croatian having his supporters, but also possessing endless detractors.
On his day, the 30-year-old is excellent, but far too often, mistake-laden performances have been thrown in along the way. Some of his displays have bordered on catastrophic and his showing at Watford last month felt like the final nail in his coffin at Anfield.
Lovren has shown over six seasons that he cannot be relied upon consistently and Klopp must surely be eyeing up a new fourth-choice centre-back option moving forward.
Meanwhile, Lallana has flattered to deceive hugely in a Liverpool shirt, with his arrival probably the most exiting of the three back in 2014.
Barring one excellent spell of form in 2016/17, when he scored eight goals and registered seven assists in the Premier League, he has too often lacked substance, only enjoying two goal involvements since May 2017.
While his strong work ethic and elegant turns have caught the eye, you have still been left wanting far more from such a talented player.
Now possibly seventh choice in Liverpool’s midfield pecking order, it is no surprise to see a summer exit appear almost certain.
History won’t look back too fondly on Clyne, Lovren and Lallana, in truth, especially as they all eventually found themselves usurped by superior players under Klopp.
That may be harsh in some ways, because it hasn’t all been bad, but their exits at the end of the season will officially bring an end to a bygone age at Liverpool.
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