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Having just missed out on the Premier League title last season, Liverpool will report back for pre-season training next month determined to go one better in 2019/20.

With Mohamed Salah , Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Alisson and Naby Keita linking up with the Reds later due to their international exploits this summer, early pre-season outings will give Jurgen Klopp the chance take a look at other players in his squad.

The likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain , Joe Gomez and Adam Lallana will be desperate to get some much-needed minutes under their belts and stake their claims for starting roles following their returns from injury towards the end of last season, while Rhian Brewster is just one of a number of youngsters hoping to catch the Reds boss' eye.

Others like Marko Grujic and Harry Wilson are playing for their futures with it yet to be decided if they'll stay at Anfield, be loaned out again and be sold while Ben Woodburn will also be hoping to impress ahead of a probable temporary move away.

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But one forgotten member of Klopp's squad remains in limbo, and faces a real battle for his Liverpool future this summer.

Limited to just five appearances for the Reds before the New Year, having missed the majority of the 2017/18 season through injury, Nathaniel Clyne spent the second half of last season on loan at AFC Bournemouth.

(Image: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

Still only 28, the right-back wanted to move on in search of regular first-team football and made 14 appearances during his time on the South Coast but there has been no inclination as to whether Eddie Howe will look to sign him permanently.

It's easy to forget that Clyne was a virtual ever-present for the Reds before injury struck, missing just one Premier League match in 2016/17.

There was a time when he was first-choice for England too ahead of Manchester City's Kyle Walker.

But his lengthy time on the sidelines with a back injury which required surgery saw Trent Alexander-Arnold emerge as one of the Premier League's finest attacking full-backs, Gomez a more than adequate replacement when not playing centrally.

(Image: PA)

Even when Klopp couldn't call upon either player last year, he turned to the versatile James Milner and actually started the veteran ahead of Clyne at right-back away at Wolves in Liverpool's final outing before Christmas.

Fabinho and even Jordan Henderson are also potential alternatives with exciting Dutch teenager Ki-Jana Hoever offering another option for the German.

The full-back may have made five appearances last year but it was through necessity rather than choice.

(Image: (Photo by Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images))

While pre-season is often an opportunity for lesser-used players to showcase their talents in a bid to force their way into their manager's thinking or earn a move, the defender is likely to find such opportunities hard to come by having fallen so far down the pecking order.

Initially a model of consistency following his £12million move to Anfield from Southampton in the summer of 2015, Clyne is by no means a bad player.

Facing a real battle to force his way back into Klopp's plans, he's just been left behind by Liverpool's meteoric rise which has seen the Reds emerge as Manchester City's closest title challengers and reach successive Champions League final.

But is it a battle he even wants to fight?

He wanted regular first-team football in January and that isn't going to change. That wasn't on offer last season and it won't be this year either.

Out of contract in the summer of 2020, another move away from Anfield beckons. Even if a permanent new home cannot found, he'd likely spend the last year of his Liverpool deal out on loan.

Clyne has been a good servant to the club but a parting of ways would be best for both parties.