Liverpool make long-awaited contract breakthrough with agreement 'imminent' as Reds 'break the bank'

As we approach the two-week mark of the January transfer window, Liverpool continue to dominate headlines amid growing speculation over certain contract discussions. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are hot topics right now, as little has been revealed regarding where their futures lie.

All three are at risk of leaving Liverpool for free at the end of the season and fans are starting to accept it could be a possibility, as none of them have committed to a new deal yet.

A lot of reports have been doing the rounds for months now and since the January window opened, the trio are free to enter pre-contract negotiations with overseas clubs.

Liverpool contract latest

Salah recently admitted there has been ‘no progress’ in conversations between him and the club, despite being in blistering form with 21 goals and 17 assists in all competitions so far this season. The Egyptian first dropped his bombshell comments after the Southampton match in November and he has since been drip-feeding updates to the media now and then.

The situation with Alexander-Arnold is also generating concern, as Real Madrid have made their interest in the right-back extremely clear. The Spanish side wasted no time in making their first formal approach for the 25-year-old, and Michael Owen followed up by claiming the two parties had been in ‘secretive talks’.

“The very fact that Real Madrid have now made their intentions clear towards signing Trent Alexander-Arnold leads me to believe that it’s only a matter of time before he signs for them,” Owen wrote on social media. “If he was going to sign a contract extension, Madrid wouldn’t have officially made their move. Secretive talks will have taken place. Huge news.”

Van Dijk’s situation has arguably been in the spotlight the least compared to his two teammates but a big update has dropped ahead of Liverpool’s FA Cup clash with Accrington Stanley on Saturday.

Van Dijk contract breakthrough

According to the Dutch outlet De Telegraaf, a deal is believed to be ‘imminent’ for Van Dijk and Liverpool are willing to ‘break the bank’ in order to get those discussions finalised.

The centre-back first joined Anfield in 2018 in a then record £75 million deal move from Southampton. Van Dijk has been a revolutionary signing for the Reds, transforming their backline and since becoming the team’s captain. Since his arrival, Arne Slot has praised his compatriot and recently described him as a ‘crucial’ asset to Liverpool’s superb start to the 2024/25 season.

“We all see how good he still is and how much he contributes to our offensive style. What you don’t see, and I do see, is how important he is in the training sessions,” Slot said back in October. “He is the most loud and he brings a lot of energy and quality into the sessions. What you see at the weekends is what I also see during the week and that is what you want to see. He is definitely our leader.”