Under normal circumstances, Liverpool will be only making headlines for being the best team in England and Europe this season. However, the club have been forced to deal with the spotlight on the contract negotiations with three of their most important players who will be out of contract at the end of the season. They can’t complain as the Reds have allowed the situation to come to a head with just weeks away from the winter window when Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold can start holding talks over a pre-contract with clubs outside England.
Liverpool are in negotiations with representatives of all three stars for months but there is still no agreement over a new deal for any of them at this stage of the season.
Some are wondering how the club have allowed the situation to reach this stage given their importance in the team but the Reds have remained calm and have been insistent that eventually they will agree to sign new contracts with the club.
However, there are different levels of confidence about holding on to them and there is a feeling not all three will be at the club at the start of the 2025/26 season.
Virgil van Dijk recently rejected an offer of a new contract and Mohamed Salah is angry that he is yet to receive a formal offer on his table despite his representatives holding talks with the club for months.
However, according to Football Insider, the veteran duo are almost certain to sign new deals with the club and extend their stay at Anfield.
Liverpool are pressing forward with the negotiations and will soon make them formal offers to continue at Anfield beyond the end of the season.
The Reds want to keep the veteran duo and not just for footballing reasons
Van Dijk and Salah have been the two best players in a Liverpool team who are gunning to win the Premier League and the Champions League this season.
It makes sense that Liverpool would want to sort out new deals for the duo as their impact on the team has been huge, both on the results and in terms of managing the dressing room.
But for FSG, it just makes financial sense to hold on to Van Dijk and Salah as well, beyond the obvious football reasons.
Can you name the team Liverpool sold these players to?
Liverpool would have to spend massive transfer fees if they have to bring in replacements for Van Dijk and Salah and there is also no guarantee that they will find players of the required quality.
A defender of the Dutchman’s quality would cost a fortune and you don’t find a Salah in the transfer window every day. It just makes more sense to keep the duo while bringing in young talents who can be groomed to replace them in a few years.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is 50-50 on whether to sign a new deal or move to Real Madrid but Liverpool are already said to be lining up his replacement if the Englishman leaves.
