“It’s not a great look” – Michael Owen takes aim at Liverpool over transfer decision | OneFootball

Robertson exit leaves Liverpool facing more than a football problem

There are football departures that feel procedural and there are others that leave a dressing room hollowed out. For Liverpool, the expected exit of Andy Robertson belongs firmly in the latter category.

At Anfield, the left-back has never merely been an overlapping runner or a reliable defender. He has been part of the emotional engine of the modern Liverpool side, a player whose relentlessness reflected the mood of the club during its rise back to the summit of English and European football.

Now, before the summer transfer window has even opened, questions are already being asked about whether Liverpool are making a mistake in allowing Robertson’s era to end too quickly.

Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen certainly believes so. Speaking to talkSPORT, Owen delivered a warning that will resonate with supporters who still feel Robertson has more to offer both on and off the pitch.

“I love Andy Robertson. I think they pensioned him off too early. But to be playing him now in a lot of the big games, they played him at Old Trafford, they played him against Everton, it’s not a great look for Kerkez, is it?”

Kerkez scrutiny increases with Robertson still trusted

Liverpool appear to see Milos Kerkez as the long-term solution at left-back. Yet Owen’s argument is difficult to dismiss. If Robertson is still the preferred option in the biggest fixtures, then the transition is clearly not complete.

That matters because Liverpool are entering a period where certainty is essential.

Under Arne Slot, the club are preparing for another reshaping of the squad. Change is inevitable at elite clubs, but the best sides know precisely when to evolve and when to preserve continuity. Robertson’s continued presence in decisive matches suggests Liverpool themselves may still harbour doubts over whether Kerkez is ready to inherit such responsibility immediately.

Robertson’s recent performances have also complicated the narrative around his departure. His display levels have improved in recent weeks and his goal against Crystal Palace served as a reminder that his influence has not disappeared.

For all the modern obsession with youth and resale value, elite football still turns on trust. Managers rely on players who understand pressure, who communicate instinctively and who carry authority in difficult moments. Robertson has spent nearly a decade building that standing at Liverpool.

Replacing his energy down the flank is one challenge. Replacing his voice inside the dressing room may prove even harder.

Liverpool leadership concerns cannot be ignored

The modern Liverpool side has always been built on powerful personalities as much as tactical sophistication. Robertson belonged to that core alongside senior figures who shaped standards every day at the training ground.

When those players disappear, clubs can suddenly feel unfamiliar to themselves.

It is why Liverpool must think carefully about how many experienced figures they allow to leave in one summer. Robertson’s expected exit comes amid continued uncertainty surrounding other senior players and there is a danger that too much institutional memory disappears at once.

That concern is not sentimental nostalgia. It is rooted in how elite squads function.

Great teams survive transition when leadership is layered throughout the dressing room. Robertson’s intensity, humour and competitiveness have long been part of Liverpool’s identity. Younger players fed off it. Supporters recognised it immediately because it mirrored the club’s wider spirit.

If Kerkez is eventually to become Liverpool’s first-choice left-back, he deserves the space to grow into the role naturally rather than being burdened by immediate comparisons with one of the Premier League era’s defining full-backs.

Summer decisions could define Slot era

Liverpool’s recruitment team have earned considerable trust over recent years, yet every successful cycle eventually reaches its most delicate phase. Replacing iconic figures is always harder than discovering them.

Robertson arrived from Hull City without enormous fanfare and became one of the outstanding signings of Liverpool’s modern history. His consistency, durability and mentality transformed him into a cornerstone of a side that conquered England and Europe.

That legacy raises the stakes for whoever follows him.

Liverpool may ultimately decide that this is the correct moment to move forward. Football rarely pauses for sentiment. But Owen’s intervention highlights a genuine concern that many inside and outside Anfield will share.

If Robertson is still trusted for the biggest occasions, perhaps Liverpool are not entirely convinced the future is ready just yet.