Mohamed Salah and Liverpool contract rebels have more to lose than Reds do in standoff
Reds trio would be taking a massive risk if they decide to leave a club that will continue to challenge strongly for major honours under exciting new manager
by Andy Dunn · The MirrorIn an ideal world for Liverpool Football Club and its supporters, the talented trio of Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk will sign new contracts before the turn of the year. But even if they wait until the last days of their current agreements, it would clearly be the ideal scenario if all three decide to extend their time at Anfield.
Salah is in smashing form but, then again, Salah is always in smashing form. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s skillset is still expanding and Virgil van Dijk is controlling a defence that has conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League.
If all three are available on free transfers next summer, there will be a plethora of suitors for each and every one of them. No wonder the common reaction to this contract situation is to wonder how Liverpool’s executives have allowed it to happen and to believe the players hold all the aces in this contract card game.
But that is not the case - Liverpool, the club, has plenty of aces. Let’s take each case individually.
Very few people - even within the physical and emotional confines of Liverpool - would criticise Alexander-Arnold for taking a chance to play for Real Madrid if that opportunity materialised. But if Alexander-Arnold looks at the fallout from a couple of upsets at the hands of Barcelona and AC Milan in the Bernabeu - and the flak being aimed the way of Carlo Ancelotti and Jude Bellingham - he will notice an atmosphere more volatile than the one he has enjoyed for so long.
Van Dijk will be 34 at the start of next season but still looks as though he has a good couple of years left at the very highest level. Seeing out his playing career at Anfield would be the ideal prelude to a move into coaching. He has Future Liverpool Manager stamped all over him.
After scoring the winner against Brighton last weekend, Salah posted a picture of himself on social media - as he is quite fond of doing - along with words that ended with this line: “No matter what happens, I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like.” He certainly would not forget what scoring at Anfield feels like if he ever celebrates a goal for Al-Hilal in the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, where the average attendance is little over 13,000.
But it does not have to be a memory any time soon. It is hard to believe Liverpool will not offer Salah - whose fitness is remarkable and whose brilliance unquestionable - a two-year option to stay.
The club will not be held to any sort of ransom, though. Liverpool remains an iconic club in rude health, with a fine squad and, in Arne Slot, an inspired managerial appointment on the books.
It goes without saying that no player is bigger than the club and that no-one is irreplaceable. Keegan went, Dalglish arrived, etc, etc. So, while any single one of this talented trio would be missed if they were to leave, their loss would be as great as Liverpool’s.
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