Ideal December: Mo Salah & Van Dijk sign new contracts as Trent exceeds January deadline
It’s difficult to imagine a world in which Liverpool allow all three of Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold to depart for nothing in 2025.
Evidently, the Merseysiders are far from open to seeing that eventuality come to pass given that the trio have now all officially been handed opening proposals.
The only question that remains is how much in the way of further negotiation are required to get contract renewals over the line.
It won’t have escaped the notice of club staff the January 1 deadline (by which point overseas outfits can negotiate pre-contract agreements) is increasingly looming at only 21 days away.
Who is most likely to sign a new contract before the deadline?
Whilst fans can rest assured that it’s perfectly normal to see contract talks with stars in their 30s head into this stage of the season, there’s no question it would alleviate a great deal of fanbase stress to see pens put to paper in the near future.
Our Dutch skipper and top scorer look the most likely individuals to do so. Not least of all because of the repeated reiteration of their love for the club.
“At both teams [Netherlands and Liverpool] I am still Virgil van Dijk, the big leader! And I certainly want to remain that for the next two years,” the 33-year-old told reporters back in September.
Mo Salah, reflecting on the then lack of an official contract offer in late November, told journalists after a win over Southampton: “You know I have been in the club for many years. There is no club like this. But in the end it is not in my hands. As I said before, it is December and I haven’t received anything yet about my future.
“I love the fans. The fans love me. In the end it is not in my hands or the fans’ hands. Let’s wait and see. Of course [no offer is disappointing], yeah.”
The club want the duo to stay and the players have very much made clear their intention to stay put on the red half of Merseyside for the foreseeable future.
Trent Alexander-Arnold? That may be a separate case.
Trent Alexander-Arnold contract talks will extend beyond January 1
We hope to be proven wrong on this front, but we at Empire of the Kop very much expect talks with our vice-skipper to wage on into the New Year.
Despite a distinct lack of public expressions of devotion to Liverpool Football Club, the Scouser in our team is understood to be conducting himself respectfully in talks amid interest from Real Madrid.
That said, the prospect of linking up with the Spanish champions and England teammate Jude Bellingham will no doubt remain tantalising – particularly, his potentially improved prospects of winning the Ballon d’Or.
It really depends on what our No.66 believes to be of greater value: the potential perceived impact on his individual legacy by moving to the Spanish capital? Or committing to a fresh, exciting arc with new head coach Arne Slot at Liverpool?
If the early signs offer any indication, Alexander-Arnold could very well miss out on quite a chapter of football should he opt to trade life at Anfield for the promise of all but guaranteed glory at the Bernabeu.
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