Key reason why Liverpool stars may not have signed new contracts yet following recent comments
Liverpool are reportedly ‘progressing’ with new terms at Anfield for Luis Díaz, despite the confusion and frustration over his situation that bubbled up during the summer window. With talks being planned, fans will be pleased to know the club is now in a position to start offering new deals to key players.
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Hide AdHowever, while Díaz has become a focus of progressing contract talks, there is still heavy spotlight on the three players into the last 12 months of their current deals. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah will all see their contracts expire in 2025, unless new agreements are set in stone soon.
Once the January transfer window opens, the Liverpool trio will be able to enter into pre-contract discussions and unless the club act fact between now and then, there remains a risk of them losing some of their most important players. As the days and weeks go by, anxiety is building over the future of the trio in question, particularly Alexander-Arnold.
The right-back has made it clear since a young age that he wants to become the captain of his boyhood club, which is surely the next step in his career after being name vice-captain. Alexander-Arnold’s recent comments about his future and contract situation will certainly be a boost for fans but his response has also indicated why the 25-year-old might be holding off on putting pen to paper.
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Hide Ad“I have always said I want to captain the club. That is a goal of mine, whether that happens is out of my hands,” he said. “I want to be a Liverpool player this season [as a minimum] is what I will say. I have signed four or five contract extensions and none of those have been played out in public and this one won’t be either.”
“I want to win trophies, I am a player who is highly motivated by trophies and winning things and being elite. So that is probably the main factor of anything, if you have a personality that is elite, who wants to win and will do anything to win then that is what drives me.”
Suggesting there could be talks behind the scenes that have not ‘been played out in public’ is a big positive. However, it is only fair to expect players to get a feel for a new chapter at a club before committing more time. There was a lot of speculation over how Liverpool would look without Jurgen Klopp but after a fairly quiet transfer window and a strong start to the season, things are looking solid under Arne Slot so far.
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Hide AdThe Reds have banked 12 points from a possible 15 so far and sit just one behind leaders Manchester City. They also made a statement with their Champions League victory over AC Milan in the Champions League.
If Alexander-Arnold is hungry for more trophies at 25, it’s likely Salah and Van Dijk will also be wanting the best possible chance to see out the latter stages of their careers with more winners’ medals. If Liverpool’s form can continue and they prove things are headed in a promising direction both on and off the pitch, they could be agreeing terms with all three players. Based on recent comments, it’s likely the players have been weighing up this new chapter under Slot, and how likely it is that they will challenge for trophies under his guidance.
Both Salah and Van Dijk have been linked with Saudi Arabia clubs but as successful athletes, surely their priorities sit with the chance of winning trophies rather than a big pay day. Similarly, Alexander-Arnold has been a hot target of Real Madrid’s for a while now, but as a man passionate about his boyhood club, silverware with Liverpool will mean more than silverware anywhere else.
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