Liverpool have made Mo Salah a formal contract offer, meaning Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and the Egyptian have all now been offered new deals at the club.
After drawn-out talks, Liverpool appear to be closer to pinning at least two of Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold down to new deals.
Reliable journalist David Ornstein reported that Liverpool have made an “opening contract offer” to Salah.
For the Athletic, he wrote: “A new deal has been tabled, according to multiple sources familiar with the process who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
? Liverpool make opening contract offer to Mohamed Salah. Does not mean agreement done or close (any outcome expected to take time) but Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold have all now received proposals + talks with #LFC ongoing @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/9pxoQ3jWEv
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) December 8, 2024
“It does not mean an agreement is in place or close and, despite a growing belief around Anfield that both players will stay, at present there is no certainty.”
While Liverpool formally offering a deal is a step forward, it doesn’t mean an agreement is necessarily imminent, with Ornstein adding that “any outcome is expected to take time.”
This news in the Athletic is likely from the club’s side of things, as was the Mirror’s claim at the weekend that Salah was “on the brink of signing a new two-year contract.”
Virgil van Dijk & Trent Alexander-Arnold also offered deals
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, November 4, 2024: Liverpool's captain Virgil van Dijk with a medicine ball during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Last week, Ornstein also reported that Liverpool had made a formal offer to Van Dijk over a new contract, with the captain’s current deal expiring at the end of the season.
This deal, though, “fell short of his expectations and so far there has been no breakthrough on the value or length of an extension,” reported the journalist.
No update has been given except that “talks are continuing.”
The same can be said for Alexander-Arnold, who has received a proposal from the club but has yet to agree to stay on Merseyside.
Dialogue with the club is “ongoing,” according to the Athletic, but “it remains unclear how the matter will conclude.”
The news came after Ornstein explained that Liverpool were “working hard to keep [Alexander-Arnold]” but “will need to do what it takes to meet his wishes.”
Spotrac say the right-back is the Reds’ third-highest earner on £180,000 per week, placing him behind Salah (£350,000 a week) and Van Dijk (£220,000 a week) on the current payroll.