On Monday, The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported that Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold had all received contract offers from Liverpool FC, suggesting that the light may be at the end of this drawn-out contract saga.
The nature of expiring contracts means the deadline for getting these deals done is near. In January, non-English clubs will be free to approach the players about a potential pre-contract agreement ahead of a summer move.
Now, one of the more reliable club-connected journalists Melissa Reddy has also chimed in with what she knows of the situation on yesterday afternoon broadcast of Sky Sports News, and it’s mostly positive:
“My information has been quite consistent in that talks remain ongoing. They’re positive and respectful. Liverpool want to do right by the players and by the club themselves.”
“It’s been quite evident that Salah and Van Dijk really want to stay. They’ve made that clear, they’ve verbalised that, and possibly on their side there’s been a bit of frustration that it’s taken so long to reach an agreement, but the anticipation is that both players will remain at the club.”
“The situation with Alexander-Arnold is slightly different because he has Real Madrid hugely interested in him, and some of his recent comments about winning the Ballon d’Or are very much singing from that Real Madrid hymn sheet.”
“He’s possibly the one that would take the most elbow grease in Liverpool getting over the line, and also the one who has the biggest alternative option.”
“All three would be able to speak to overseas clubs from 1 January. The feeling, the sense I get from Salah and Virgil is that they have no intention to do that.”
So, there’s that. Two are almost done, but Edwards, Hughes, and company will certainly have more work to do over the coming weeks to convince the last of the trio to put pen to paper.