PROBLEM 🙄:Liverpool face major decisions behind scenes with seven contract calls to make

Liverpool face major decisions behind scenes with seven contract calls to make

Liverpool have seven players ranging from regular starters to back-up options running out of contract in the foreseeable future

Mohamed Salah celebrates with Liverpool teammate Virgil Van Dijk (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images) (Image: Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)

Liverpool a series of major decisions behind the scenes across the next 18 months. Currently life at Anfield couldn’t be much better – the team looks revitalised, one point behind their next opponents Manchester City come the third international break of the season. There is a new 7,000-seater stand on the way and Jurgen Klopp is locked into the project of revamping a club capable of winning major honours.

Therefore the next question should be do the players feel the same way as their boss? Heading into the remainder of the campaign there are still four members of the squad with lingering, unresolved contract situations.

And following on from that, a further three key components of Klopp’s system are yet to commit their futures to the cause beyond 2025. Crucial to any successful campaign is the lack of distractions, thus highlighting the need to wrap up matters before the start of the next season.

This either means swiftly agreeing terms for updated contracts with the stars at risk, or following the ruthless path that was taken with Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita by ignoring sentimentality and allowing them to move on.

So without further ado, here are the seven Reds the club must straighten out the contracts of and the latest that has been said about each:

The problem child – well, ‘problem veteran’ – of this Liverpool squad. On the one hand Thiago is one of, if not the most, technically-gifted players to ever grace the Anfield turf in a red shirt, but on the other he is too often on the sidelines.

Since arriving from Bayern Munich in 2020, injury and illness has kept him out of 90 matches – more than any of his teammates in this period and almost equalling the 97 appearances he has made for the club.

This makes it difficult to argue if the Spaniard’s contributions have been a good return on the £27m investment made three-and-a-half years ago, especially knowing he will not be in action again until the new year.

As one of the highest earners in the squad who will be 33 come June, an uninterrupted exit creeps closer by the day.

Joel Matip

Another ageing fan-favourite, Matip’s time at Liverpool could be up next year.

The Premier League and Champions League winner signed a five-year extension in 2019 – three years after his free arrival from Schalke 04 – though no efforts to agree fresh terms have been made since.

An exit would be against the Cameroonian’s wishes, as he publicly stated his desire to play out the rest of his career on Merseyside back in September. “Here in Liverpool, with these absolute top conditions, you don’t just walk away,” he said. “In addition, I also feel incredibly comfortable here in my private life. I think it’s desirable not to change clubs all the time.

“I’m at an age where I don’t think so much about the future anymore. I try to make the most of every day and don’t look too far ahead. If it was only these two clubs [Liverpool and Schalke, that I have played for] in the end, I would be perfectly happy.”

The centre-back, who is one appearances away from hitting the 200 mark for the Reds, will be 32 at the end of the current season.

Conor Bradley

One of the strangest cases with regards to fresh contracts is 20-year-old Bradley, who if rumours were to believe was to ready to put pen to paper on a three-year extension during pre-season.

Instead he featured twice in July’s tour of Germany before suffering a stress fracture in his back. He has been sidelined ever since, only last week returning to first-team training.

If the Northern Ireland international has as high a ceiling as his rapid progression through the ranks suggests, then a contract renewal should be top priority once back to full fitness.

Adrian

Adrian will forever be etched into the Reds’ history for his heroics in the UEFA Super Cup penalty shoot-out success against Chelsea in 2019, though that is just about it for the veteran brought in to only ever be an understudy to Alisson Becker.

His last appearance was well over 12 months ago in 2022’s Community Shield match, now sits third choice behind Caiomhin Kelleher and was even axed from this season’s Europa League squad to make way for Ryan Gravenberch.

The Spaniard will be 37 at the time of his contract’s expiry, though his age never stopped the offer and acceptance of a one-year extension at the last minute in the summer just gone. As a role the club evidently play by ear, who knows what will happen in several months.

The key name on this list – Mohamed Salah – presents the biggest conundrum of any to Anfield chiefs.

The numbers the 31-year-old has posted – 198 goals and 83 assists in 322 appearances, only missing 14 matches over six-and-a-half years – and the suggestion he is far from slowing down indicates it is a no-brainer to agree terms if possible.

However the Reds may not have enough to match the level of contract offer that is anticipated to arrive from Saudi Arabia on the Egyptian’s plate. Similarly based on the £150m verbal offer that was rejected on September 1, another in that ball park for a player who will be 33 at the end of his current deal may prove too much to turn down.

Ultimately this may come down to Salah’s desire to play at the highest level until his body gives way, or see out his career closer to home, earning a wage few have turned down in recent months.

But for now: “Mo is here, Mo never came to me and wanted to go. I never thought about that, and hope I don’t have to,” said Klopp at the start of the month.

Trent Alexander-Arnold
‘The Scouser in our team’, Alexander-Arnold’s current deal being on course to expire in the near future comes somewhat as a surprise.

One of the finest academy graduates to make it out of Kirkby, the 25-year-old has already revolutionised the full-back role in his young career and most recently had the honour of Liverpool’s vice-captaincy bestowed upon him by Klopp.

Having won all major honours but the two English cups by that point of his career, in 2021 he signed an improved deal running through to 2025.

He will be 26 years old when his time at Anfield would be up, so has plenty left to give with the so-called prime years of his career on the horizon. Perhaps recent transfer speculation linking him to Spanish giants Real Madrid will speed up this process…

Virgil van Dijk
He may be the other designated leader in Klopp’s plan, though Liverpool are also at risk of Van Dijk leaving the club for free in 18 month’s time.

Like Alexander-Arnold, he agreed fresh terms in 2021 and was made the team’s captain over the summer in response to Jordan Henderson’s exit to Saudi Arabia.

After strengthening the Reds’ defence to a level not seen in well over a decade, aiding greatly in the trophy successes of the modern era, his cruciate ligament injury in the 2020/21 campaign was a huge blow.

However being made captain has brought about a new wave of confidence, and the Dutchman is playing his part in the Premier League’s joint-best defence.

In 2025 he will have been at Anfield for seven-and-a-half years, and will be 33 years old. Given his leadership skills, natural ability and considering the fact 57 of the 76 matches he has missed in his Reds career were down to that one, horrific injury, Van Dijk still has a major part to play beyond the expiry of his contract as things stand.