In January, the focus is understandably mainly on what might happen in the transfer market. Ideally, Liverpool would be able to find a left-sided center-back to come into the team and help out a defense that is looking light on numbers, but the chances of that happening appear to be slim.
Liverpool is in a good position to fight on all fronts well into this season, just a draw away from making the Carabao Cup final and already having knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup. But getting back into the Champions League was a major priority and doing so by winning the Premier League would clearly be the dream — and yet a very realistic — scenario.
Amid that context, as well as being very appealing for players that Liverpool might potentially want to bring in during 2024 and beyond, there is no reason for anyone to want to leave Anfield at the moment. Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk — all out of contract in around 18 months — are next in line for renewals (after Thiago Alcântara and Joël Matip, whose deals expire this summer).
This week, The Athletic has reported that ‘conversations will get going in due course’ with all three players. The FSG plan was always for that to be the case in 2024 and while at least two of those extensions should be straightforward, Salah is acknowledged as having an ‘appetite to continue competing at the top level of European football with Liverpool’, which should help.
Salah was wanted by Saudi Arabia in the previous summer window but the project looks less appealing now than it did then thanks to a series of embarrassing attendances and a general apathy toward the expensively-assembled league. Jordan Henderson wants out and there must surely be others questioning their moves too.
Liverpool must hope that Salah’s attention remains on being at the very top level of the game and there has been no sign of that changing. Ultimately, unless it does, then the Saudi Pro League can be ruled out as an option.
There are other teams that would undoubtedly welcome Salah with open arms. Real Madrid, though, is likely to be focusing on Kylian Mbappé and PSG may soon need a replacement for the Frenchman if he departs, as expected, as a free agent. It is hard to imagine Salah popping up at another Premier League club.
Liverpool is, quite clearly, the best place for Salah to remain. Heading back into the Champions League next season and fighting on all fronts during this one, the Egyptian could not be better placed to win major silverware and fire the Reds to the top again. It should be an easy decision to tie him down to an extension, even if doing so won’t quite be so simple.
In the cases of Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk, the Liverpool negotiations should be far more straightforward. For a start, while they will need paying a fair salary compared to their standing in the game, neither will expect to be on Salah levels of pay.
Nothing can be taken for granted but Liverpool’s captain and vice-captain feel unlikely to be departing any time soon. Tying the pair down and stamping out any potential speculation before it arises, however, should be welcomed.
The priorities over the next few weeks and months, though, should be clear: tying down Liverpool’s best three players (alongside Alisson Becker, who himself is under contract until 2027). During a potential run-in that could see a major involvement in all four competitions that Liverpool entered this season, an announcement of a new contract or three could offer a major boost.
