Liverpool’s Contracts Problem

Author: Jack Guing, Last Updated: 11.12.2024

Liverpool are the most in form team in Europe at this moment in time, sitting top of the Premier League and top of the Champions League, being the only team with a 100% record in the latter competition. Over the last number of seasons Liverpool has been a consistent force in England and Europe under former manager Jurgen Klopp and now under current manager Arne Slot, as well as the large contributions from players such as Mo Salah, Virgil Van Dijk and Trent Alexander Arnold, all of whom are out of contract in the summer.

Liverpool cannot afford to lose all three of these key players in the one window, they will be extremely difficult to replace. All three players have been excellent for Liverpool and have won every big trophy that is available to them including the Premier League and Champions League. Mo Salah has proven himself to be one of if not the best right wingers in the world, Alexander Arnold, the best right back, and Van Dijk has a firm grip on the center back position. Surely, Liverpool can’t let them go at once?

Mo Salah: The Goal Machine

Mo Salah will go down as one of the greatest players to ever play for Liverpool. His goals and assists numbers are astounding and with him scoring many key goals for Liverpool, including in the 2019 Champions League final. Salah got signed for Liverpool in 2017 for a reported £36 million and formed one of the best attacking trios alongside Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane. Salah remains the only one of these three players still at

Liverpool and is continuing to deliver high quality performances with 13 goals and 11 assists in 20 games in all competitions this season. In 2022 Salah signed a 3 year contract extension at Liverpool, on a reported £350,000 a week. This contract comes to an end in June 2025, and even at 32 years of age Salah has shown that he can still do it at the very top level, likely for years to come. He deserves a contract extension and the club will need to make a move quickly as come January Salah, will be able to negotiate with clubs outside England.

Virgil Van Dijk: The Colossal Captain

Virgil Van Dijk was named captain of Liverpool following the departure of Jordan Henderson in the summer of 2023. The signing of Van Dijk in January 2018 proved to be a huge turning point in the fortunes of Liverpool FC. They would go on to reach the UEFA Champions League final that season, but would lose 3-1 to Real Madrid.

Van Dijk was crucial in the 18/19 Champions League winning season, with him incredibly not being dribbled past once that season. Van Dijk has proved to be a colossus at Liverpool and like Salah has proven even at his age (33) he can still perform at the highest level, most recently putting in a player of the match performance versus Manchester City, up against Erling Haaland. Of the three players, Van Dijk seems the most likely to resign.

Trent Alexander Arnold: Revolutionary Full Back

Alexander Arnold has revolutionised the full back role in football, often inverting into midfield. He can sometimes be a defensive weakness but has definitely improved in this department under Arne Slot. What he lacks in defence he more than makes up for with his range of passing in attack, having 59 assists in his Premier League career.

Real Madrid are heavily interested in the Liverpool born fullback, with the prospect of teaming with friend Jude Bellingham potentially enough to turn Alexander Arnold’s head. He would be a big loss for Liverpool, considering how he has transformed the fullback role, but Liverpool do have Conor Bradley for this role who has shown that he has what it takes to fill the potential Alexander Arnold void.

Liverpool should not have let these 3 players' contracts get to this point and Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards will have to get the business done soon, as Liverpool fans are becoming restless about the possibility of losing 3 key players next summer.

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