Liverpool have been warned they face a near-impossible task trying to replace Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold amid growing fears that all three will quit Anfield this summer, though one club legend has drawn comparisons to Jurgen Klopp’s exit to make a prediction for better times ahead.
The Reds are coming into the international break after a difficult week, having been dumped out of the Champions League following a penalty shootout defeat to PSG and then losing the Carabao Cup final to a determined Newcastle at Wembley. And while Liverpool looked nailed on to win the Premier League – currently enjoying a dominant 12-point lead at the summit – the holes in Arne Slot’s squad are finally starting to tell as the season wears on.
Indeed, while Slot has been planning to strengthen in two or three positions this summer – with left-back, holding midfield and centre-forward major priorities – those plans could be shunted to the side should their Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold all need replacing too.
None of the trio have agreed fresh terms as it stands and are currently eligible to quit as free agents at the end of their contracts – now just 105 days away.
Alexander-Arnold’s links with Real Madrid are well documented; Salah has provided regular updates to the media over his failure to agree new terms, consistently reminding fans this is his ‘last season’ on Merseyside; and now a trusted journalist has revealed that Van Dijk also considers his time at Anfield done.
As a result, former star Robbie Fowler has scolded Liverpool for getting themselves into such a pickle with their three most influential players.
“Speaking from a fan point of view, I honestly don’t think all of them will stay. Who? I really couldn’t tell you. I’m a Liverpool fan, I want Liverpool to do well and I want Liverpool to have all the best players,” Fowler said during an appearance on Sky Sports News.
“When you’re looking at Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah these are three massively important players for Liverpool. I know Mo didn’t have a great game [vs Newcastle on Sunday], they probably missed Trent but Virgil was probably the only Liverpool player who could hold his head high after yesterday.
“You want the three of them to sign. I think it is relatively poor from the club to let these great players get down to a few months left of their contract. What will be, will be!”
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Fowler gives Liverpool hope amid Salah, Van Dijk, Trent exit fears
Despite the growing fears that all three could quit, Fowler believes in the people currently running Liverpool FC and says history has proved that the club get its succession plans right more often than not.
And drawing comparisons to when Klopp quit Liverpool and brought in Arne Slot, Fowler hopes that whoever comes in to replace Liverpool’s famed trio will also hit the ground running – just like their Dutch coach did.
“There will be a tough ask for players coming in to replace them. But what I will say is that people were saying it would be a tough ask to come in and replace Jurgen Klopp, to pay Arne Slot the biggest compliment we haven’t missed Jurgen so that could be the case with players.”
Fowler continued: “I look at the history of Liverpool Football Club and regardless of who is staying I think Liverpool have always been OK with the players that have come afterwards. No player is bigger than the football club, that is the case.”
Despite those comments, the last update we had from sources was that the Reds remained confident Van Dijk would stay, while talks with both Alexander-Arnold and Salah were continuing – despite very real fears that the 26-year-old right-back does now look increasingly likely to sign with Real Madrid.
Liverpool transfer latest: Five names in striker frame; star’s final appearance?
Meanwhile, as Liverpool step up their search to sign a top-class No.9 in the summer transfer window, TEAMtalk can reveal five attacking talents who are all on Slot’s radar.
Elsewhere, with doubts growing over the quality of Slot’s squad, we have taken a look at six stars who now face a battle to save their Anfield futures as the lessons from this most damaging of weeks is reflected on by Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes.
One man who could be on the move is Diogo Jota and our transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, has revealed that former club Wolves are exploring a potential move to bring him back to Molineux – though the Reds are demanding quite the price for the Portuguese forward.
Meanwhile, it appears that the Carabao Cup final defeat on Sunday may be the final outing for a faultless star in a Liverpool shirt, with a summer exit now fully expected.
QUIZ: Which of this is Salah, Van Dijk or Alexander-Arnold?