The future of Trent Alexander-Arnold appears to have been settled but the outcome is still unknown for Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
Liverpool are strutting to the Premier League title in their first season under Arne Slot but the imminent expiry of three of their key players has threatened to be a distraction.
Real Madrid are expected to sign Alexander-Arnold, the youngest of the three, and the Mirror reports that age will be a factor in Liverpool’s negotiations with Salah and Van Dijk.
‘Miles left in the tank’
Liverpool’s owners, John W. Henry and Fenway Sports Group, are guided in no small part by data. According to the Mirror, they will make their decisions on Salah and Van Dijk based on facts over emotion.
“Moneyball has served John W. Henry well down the years,” writes Simon Mullock.
Salah, the 3/1 favourite to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or, is in terrific scoring form this season. He is the leading scorer in the big five European leagues and tops the rankings for assists too. But he turns 33 in June and that will inevitably come into play in negotiations.
Van Dijk, who is ranked at no. 1 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best centre-backs in the world right now, is also at the top of his game but is a year older than Salah.
“While both players have enjoyed stellar seasons,” says Mullock, “the numbers clearly don’t add up as far as FSG are concerned.”
Losing all three players for nothing would be seen as a significant body blow after winning their second title of the Premier League era but Liverpool might yet allow the older pair to leave.
“Salah and Van Dijk look like they’ve still got miles left in the tank,” continues Mullock.
“It seems absurd to think they will be any different next season. But Manchester City once assumed the same about Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan.”
It’s true that the Reds’ key men are in fine form but it’s also true that there’s no guarantee that form would continue for the duration of any deals under discussion.
Just as the individual players can be expected to look after their own interests, so FSG and Liverpool will judge the cold, hard numbers to inform negotiations.
Liverpool visit Fulham on Sunday as April’s bumper batch of Premier League action continues.
