LIVERPOOL INITIATE RISKY STRATEGY AMID SALAH, VAN DIJK CONTRACT TALKS; THIRD STAR EXPLAINS ANFIELD EXIT

Liverpool remain keen to tie down experienced duo Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk to new contracts, though they will not bow down to all of the duo’s demands, according to reports.

Salah and Van Dijk were key pillars of the success Liverpool enjoyed under Jurgen Klopp in recent years. Salah has established himself as one of the deadliest goalscorers in the history of both Liverpool and the Premier League as a whole, while Van Dijk has been a rock and a leader in the heart of defence.

But Salah, Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold have all been tipped to leave Liverpool either this summer or next as their contracts expire in June 2025.

Saudi clubs are interested in Salah and Van Dijk, while Alexander-Arnold is understood to be a target for Real Madrid.

DON’T MISS: How a dazzling new-look Liverpool side will look in 2024/25 if Arne Slot lands all his transfer targets

With regards to Alexander-Arnold, the latest reports suggest the right-back is leaning towards staying at Liverpool and signing a bumper new deal, despite being enticed by the prospect of joining Madrid.

The Telegraph, meanwhile, have provided an update on the futures of Salah and Van Dijk, who are now 32 and 33 respectively.

Due to the pair’s age, Liverpool will not offer them massive wages or long-term contracts. Instead, Reds chiefs are planning to begin negotiations over short-term deals which are heavily incentivised through bonuses.

The report states that this might not be enough to convince both players to remain at Anfield, but Liverpool will soon begin such talks regardless.

Liverpool latest: Update on Salah, Van Dijk contracts

Out of the two players, Salah looks the more likely to depart. The forward was the subject of a huge £150million bid from Al-Ittihad last summer, an offer which was swiftly rejected by Liverpool.

Al-Ittihad, as well as several other Saudi clubs, remain desperate to sign Salah but are waiting for the player to decide that he wants to leave Liverpool before making another move.

The Egyptian ace will soon make a final decision after learning what terms Liverpool are ready to offer him.

One player who has already left Merseyside is goalkeeper Adrian. The Spaniard’s Liverpool contract expired on June 30 and he was offered the chance to extend it, but he instead decided to follow Klopp out of the exit door.

Adrian, now 37, has re-joined Real Betis, the club where he came through as a youngster and ended up playing 32 times for before he moved to West Ham United in 2013.

When asked about leaving Liverpool, the veteran shot-stopper said: “It was not an easy decision, after five seasons at Liverpool, achieving practically everything with Jurgen, with such a great atmosphere in the dressing room.

“But in a sporting career, and in life, a train passes only once, and this was the opportunity, the moment to return home, to a great project for the future at Betis.”

2024-07-26T09:47:55Z dg43tfdfdgfd