The leadership of the Premier League hides a serious problem at Anfield. Despite their high-level performance on the field, Liverpool fans are worried, and during the draw against Manchester United, it was crystal clear through the banner: Mohamed Salah, Alexander-Arnold, and Virgil Van Dijk's contracts are getting to their end, without yet concrete renewal agreements. The lack of action from the club's owner, Fenway Sports Group, is seen as a warning sign, and the pressure from fans is growing. So, let's take a look at what's at stake.
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Mohamed Salah: the centerpiece of Liverpool
Of the three, Mohamed Salah's case is undoubtedly the most sensitive. The 32-year-old Egyptian forward is probably in the best form of his career, with an astonishing 38 direct goal contributions in just 27 matches this season. Even so, Salah has already made it clear that this is his last year at the club, casting uncertainty over his future.
There is internal confidence at Liverpool that the star will stay. However, according to local sources, negotiations are still far from a positive outcome. Salah admitted to Sky Sports that talks are at a standstill. “These are the last six months. There’s been no progress, we’re far from any breakthrough. We’ll have to wait and see”, he said.
Salah is the symbol of Liverpool's golden era under Jürgen Klopp. He was decisive in the historic Premier League title that ended 30 years of drought and in the Champions League title in 2019. Losing such an impactful player would be a sporting blow, but most of all it would damage the club's worldwide image.
Alexander-Arnold: the shadow of Madrid
But whereas the situation of Salah is delicate, that of Alexander-Arnold looks even riskier. According to the newspaper Marca, the 25-year-old right-back, one of the best in the world in his position, informed Liverpool of his desire to play for Real Madrid. He already reportedly has a verbal agreement with the Spanish club.
With Carvajal seriously injured, Real Madrid sees Arnold as the solution to strengthen their rear guard and to consolidate the future of the team. According to various reports, to convince the player to stay at Anfield Road, Liverpool offered a five-year deal worth €93 million. So far, there's still more to come from this negotiation.
After the news broke, Arnold played poorly against Manchester United, drawing criticism. However, his coach, Arne Slot, dismissed rumors that the transfer speculation affected his performance. "I don't believe those things impacted him. He had to face Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot, who are starters for Portugal. Great, great players. That made it more difficult for Trent than any rumors", the Dutch coach explained.
Virgil Van Dijk: the skipper who's still making the difference
Lastly, there is Virgil Van Dijk, the skipper and living legend of Liverpool, also in the last months of his contract. At 33 years, the Dutch centre-back is still very influential in Arne Slot's system. His leadership on the field and in the locker room is widely recognized, and the coach underlined his importance: "He brings a lot of positive energy to the club and the group. He's doing very well, but that's also the standard at this club. If you don't play like this, you're not good enough to play here."
Van Dijk has been present in all of Liverpool's recent major successes. He was named the best player in Europe in 2019 and was considered the third-best player in the world that year, behind Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. And despite his impact being undeniable, the negotiations for his renewal have not managed to advance a step further for now, leaving a sour taste for the fans.
Losing icons' impact
There will be very few clubs who can afford allowing three players of that caliber-peak or near peak-to reach the end of their contracts. Salah, Arnold, and Van Dijk are pillars of a team that has redefined Liverpool's modern history.
The more time FSG wastes, the more likely those talents are to go to direct rivals, something that would be a catastrophe both on and off the pitch. Beyond the sporting implications, there is also a significant financial consideration. To let such quality players leave on free transfers would represent a fair loss in the transfer market.