IMO neither Agger nor Skrtel will be here for the 15/16 season. I reckon one will leave this summer and the other one next summer.
Agger has asked the club to listen to offers for him - and we will.
I don't think Agger would have improved us massively at the back instead of the two we had anyway really. He's made plenty of mistakes himself. Sakho is set so we'll be buying someone to partner him. Both Sakho and Agger are LCB's so really they'd be competing against one another, unless one of the two is willing or able to play as a RCB.
Sakho is a leader on the pitch you just won't realise it until he learns english better. But I've watched him since he was 17. He is definitely a leader on the pitch and his passing ability his magnificent. He's willing to try and not play the safe percentage pass all the time but plays the pass which has lower percentage success at that area of the field but much higher percentage when we attack - which Brendan encourages - which is the key fact we need to remember.
I love Lucas but I think the end is nigh on for him really. Can is effectively going to be his replacement. As we saw when Henderson was suspended Lucas could not match his energy and pressing ability and Gerrard isn't going to move from his new position. Of course if Lucas is willing be 4th option DM (behind Gerrard, Can and Allen) then I'd keep him for another year, but unfortunately his injury a few years ago as meant that he has lost some of that ability he had.
Allen is here for a LONG time so Tes I'm not sure why you're suggesting giving him another season. Because both he and Henderson will be the present and future of our midfield for the next 5 years.
But as our core squad is so bereft of numbers and overall quality as it is, if we lose experience and two more in number in Agger and Lucas, surely they have to be replaced
in addition to Can in Lucas' case and Lovren (perhaps).
I'd prefer Agger
and Sakho, rather than one or the other.
What I meant with Allen is that he's had two very mixed seasons, mainly because of injury, and the reduced contribution when first coming back from injury, which is normal, but I'd like to see what he could contribute given a full, injury free season.
I'd rather we didn't lose Lucas or Agger this Summer to keep the numbers up, but if our recruitment this Summer has the required effect, then we could look to replace such like next Summer, either by buying in or if we have anyone in the junior teams ready to step up. If as you say Skrtel and Agger depart over the next two Summers, which I wouldn't agree with happening necessarily, but agree with you that it's the likely outcome, I'd rather replace Skrtel with Lovren and then look again at Agger next Summer (that's if he's prepared to fight for his place and not expect it to be handed to him).
Any player who doesn't relish competition for their place on a personal/professional level, and welcome it for the benefits it brings to the team and squad, isn't the sort of player that will help take us forward, and so I'd not be sorry to see them leave ultimately.