Liverpool’s footballing future is teetering on a precipice of uncertainty, with two of their star players, Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk, having just over three months left on their contracts at Anfield. The situation is further complicated by the lack of apparent progress towards a resolution, with Trent Alexander-Arnold also in the same predicament.
In the recent past, the Reds were in contention for three trophies, but that number has now dwindled down to one. The team’s Champions League dreams were crushed by Paris Saint-Germain, and their hopes of bagging the Carabao Cup were dashed following a defeat to Newcastle.
Jamie Carragher, a renowned pundit, voiced his concerns regarding Salah’s and Van Dijk’s contract situations on the show, ‘It’s Called Soccer!’. He suggested that the double setback could potentially strengthen Liverpool’s belief in the fairness of their proposed offers to Salah and Van Dijk. He also expressed the club’s potential reluctance to increase their offers to meet the players’ demands.
The pundit further remarked, “Van Dijk and Salah have almost come out and said they want to stay. But the real concern is from the club’s perspective. When Liverpool was at the top of the league, winning every game in the Champions League and talking about trebles, it seemed like Salah and Van Dijk were winning the PR battle. But now, you have to wonder if the people at the club are starting to question if this is a sign of things to come. Is Salah’s off form a glimpse into the future? If they don’t win as much, does this strengthen their bargaining position?”
Carragher further mused, “Imagine Liverpool wins the league and the Champions League, and Salah gets the Ballon d’Or. It’s a case of ‘give him what he wants’. So, I think the club will look at that and believe their offer is right.”
Salah and Van Dijk, who currently earn £350,000 and £220,000 respectively, will be turning 33 and 34 this summer. Despite their age, they continue to perform at world-class levels, although Salah’s recent performances have dipped slightly.
Liverpool has always been pragmatic when it comes to contractual decisions. The return of Michael Edwards as the CEO of Football at FSG underscores this sentiment, indicating a data-driven approach rather than one swayed by public opinion.
In the past, Liverpool has managed to let players like Philippe Coutinho, Gini Wijnaldum, Sadio Mane, and Bobby Firmino go at the right time. However, the question remains whether offering lucrative new deals to two players in their mid-30s contradicts this proven strategy.
The risk of keeping Salah and Van Dijk on high wages as their performance possibly declines seems less than letting them leave for free this summer and investing heavily in replacements of lower quality. As the clock ticks on, Liverpool fans can only wait and watch how this high-stakes drama unfolds.
