5 former Liverpool players we can’t believe are currently free agents

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Liverpool's Kevin Stewart during the EFL Cup, Quarter Final match at Anfield, Liverpool. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday November 29, 2016.

Liverpool have a litany of former players at other clubs, but there are more than a few surprising names that are surprisingly unattached despite having not yet retired.

Of course, players like James Milner and Jordan Henderson are still active but we wanted to dig a little deeper and find those whose current unemployment has raised an eyebrow or two.

We’ve picked out five former Reds that we can’t believe are currently without a club.

Daniel Sturridge

Granted, it’s not a terrible surprise that Sturridge is currently without a club; the striker hasn’t played since leaving Perth Glory in 2022 and seems focused on his blossoming media career.

But it’s still a shame. At 34, Sturridge could feasibly be playing in the Championship instead of serenading Roy Keane with Usher songs. He remains an incredibly underrated player at his peak…

Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge celebrates scoring his sides fourth goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion held at Anfield in Liverpool, UK on Oct. 26, 2013.

READ: A tribute to Daniel Sturridge, an underrated Premier League legend

Kevin Stewart

Stewart was given his first chance at top-flight football by Jurgen Klopp back in February 2016. He went on to make 11 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, but eventually fell out of favour and joined Championship outfit Hull City.

The holding midfielder was a solid performer in the Championship, but injuries have often hampered his progress. After spending the last few years with Blackpool, the 30-year-old is currently a free agent.

Adam Bogdan

After some eye-catching years with Bolton Wanderers, Bogdan joined Liverpool in 2015 when he was signed by Brendan Rodgers.

But he only went on to make six appearances for the Reds as he often looked on from the bench as the club’s backup goalkeeper.

The 36-year-old most recently played for Hungarian club Ferencvaros and is now a free agent on the hunt for his next challenge.

 

Jerome Sinclair

Having become Liverpool’s youngest-ever player after making his debut at the age of 16 years and six days back in September 2012, big things were expected of Sinclair.

But Sinclair made just two Premier League appearances for the Reds. He signed for Watford in 2016 and spent five years on the Hornets’ books but was perenially loaned out – Birmingham, Sunderland, Oxford, VVV-Venlo & CSKA Sofia – before he was released in 2021.

A trial at Oxford didn’t materalise to a permanent contract and Stewart has now apparently stepped away from professional football to own a branch of fried chicken chain Morley’s.

Tiago Ilori

The Reds splashed around £7million on Illori back in 2013 after he’d impressed at Sporting Lisbon. His career at Anfield was fairly short-lived though as he made a mere three first-team appearances.

Following a spell with Reading in the Championship, the Portuguese defender returned to Sporting in 2019 and spent a significant amount of time out on loan.

Now 30 years old, Ilori is still on the hunt for his next club upon his release by Sporting this summer.


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