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Liverpool are navigating a challenging season in the Premier League, and off-field matters have contributed to the pressure.
After winning the title last year, the Reds have struggled to maintain their momentum.
Competing at the top level in England is never easy.
Every team in the Premier League is strong, and squads are constantly improving through transfers and tactical changes.
Clubs like Arsenal and Manchester City are pushing for the top, while teams further down the table are showing they can upset anyone.
This season, Liverpool have found themselves in unfamiliar territory.
With eight points behind leaders Arsenal and sitting in eighth, the pressure is on.
Off the field, the club also faced uncertainty over some of their key players.
Deals lingered for weeks, with fans growing anxious over the futures of the squad’s cornerstone figures.
Even Trent Alexander-Arnold, the now Real Madrid man who was one of Liverpool’s most reliable performers as , was at the center of prolonged negotiations.
Negotations which saw him eventually leave the Merseyside club.
During contract negotiations last summer, Liverpool were close to making a bold decision that could have changed the squad drastically.
The club’s board had to balance patience with urgency while ensuring they didn’t jeopardize their long-term plans.
Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has now revealed that the club was prepared to let two of their biggest stars leave for free last summer.
The players in question are Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, both in the final year of their contracts.
Werner explained the discussions in an interview via The Athletic, “My impatience is balanced by his patience,” he said, referring to sporting director Richard Hughes.
“I’d call him frequently and say, ‘Richard, how are things going with Mo Salah and his contract?’, and he would say, ‘Tom, it will all be good in the end’.”
Werner praised Hughes further, saying, “I think all the agents who deal with him would say that he conducts business in a very respectful way.”
“He has a plan and he executes it.”
He added, “We were delighted that the new contracts for Mo and Virgil were sorted.”
“But you know what?”
“If Richard had called and said, ‘The chasm is too big’, I would have respected that too.”
“John, Mike and I try to find people who are excellent at their jobs and let them do their jobs.”
“We don’t meddle, we just provide support and advice from our point of view.”
“There’s a lot of trust.”
“I can’t say enough wonderful things about Richard.”
While Salah and van Dijk eventually signed extensions, questions have arisen about their influence this season.
Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney criticized their impact following Liverpool’s 3-1 loss to Brentford.
Salah’s individual form has also been under scrutiny, with critics noting that his style hasn’t allowed new signing Florian Wirtz to flourish.
Liverpool now face the challenge of turning around their campaign while managing expectations around their star duo, whose contracts nearly slipped through their fingers last summer.
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