Liverpool head coach Arne Slot with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah
For Liverpool, a huge couple of months lie ahead. There is a Premier League title to win, the contracts of three huge stars to find solutions for and a summer transfer window to plan for.
The final two tasks come hand in hand, really, as the one cannot be complete before the other. Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all going to play a vital role in what happens to Liverpool for the foreseeable years to come. Not until their decisions are made can a true plan become clear.
It is notable that the captain and vice-captain both are in this predicament at the same time as one another. As well as leaders, they have been members of the Reds' back four for over seven years now, so striking two from the list would only add to the work that is already felt requires doing.
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Over recent years, Jurgen Klopp put effort into revamping his attack force, replacing Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane with the likes of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo. Arne Slot then arrived and threw Federico Chiesa in the mix so that with Salah there are six forwards at the club.
Almost £140m was spent on a new midfield in 2023, making sure all bases are covered in that area of the squad for years to come. Even the goalkeeping department is tied down with the arrival of Georgian international Giorgi Mamardashvili to come this summer.
What hasn't been done is give attention to the defensive department, even before the contracts fell the way they have done. Ibrahima Konate's signing in 2021 was the last time money was spent money on a defender.
The current state
As mentioned, the futures of Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk need resolving. With discrediting others' reporting, neither are certainly staying, nor are they certainly going at this stage, but time is running out for these sagas.
Behind the former is Conor Bradley - a full-back with bags of talent whose rise through the academy must be studied by all who are seeking to follow him.
And with the latter, Konate has been his primary partner for several years now. He usurped Joe Gomez in a way, who is injured right now but remains with the Reds. In the meantime, Jarell Quansah is another youngster who has risen to the challenge of senior football.
That just leaves the left side of defence, the duties of which have been shared by Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas throughout the season.
Dream defence
Taking current rumours as they are on face value, let's hypothesise Alexander-Arnold leaving his boyhood club and Van Dijk working out a way to stay for the foreseeable. A hurtful situation but not the end of the world.
While one name who has been linked with the Reds in recent weeks is Jeremie Frimpong. The Reds were reported to have opened initial negotiations with representatives of Frimpong, who has become much sought-after having impressed for the Bundesliga side since signing from Celtic in 2021. However, the ECHO understands such claims are premature as Liverpool continue to formulate their approach for the forthcoming summer transfer window.
A product of Manchester City's successful academy, he has gone on to a senior career winning titles in Scotland and Germany. Now a fully fledged Dutch national too, he, like Liverpool's current right back, is approaching his so-called prime years.
Van Dijk staying on and captaining the side happens in an ideal world, and Konate pairs alongside him, as always. But with his contract running out next summer, he needs to sign a new one before the start of next season - Liverpool can't fall for the same mistakes again.
And the left-back situation is another area of the squad that looks set to be addressed this summer. Fresh legs arriving in the form of Milos Kerkez, who over two seasons has proven himself one of the Premier League's most capable in the position, would go straight into the team.
The ECHO understands that Liverpool are interested in the 21-year-old while keeping tabs on a number of other potential options ahead of the forthcoming transfer window.
As for the existing options, it would be comforting to see Robertson kept for the final year of his contract and allowed to leave for free in 2026. That way Kerkez gets the best tutor around who can also provide ample back-up.
And that only leaves Tsimikas. He's never been a true starter in his five years as a Red; it might be down to the man ahead of him or his quality, but cashing in seems the best option for all involved.
Liverpool's dream 2025/26 defence, consisting of Jeremie Frimpong, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez (Image: Liverpool ECHO)
The alternative
Say Van Dijk does not stay. It would be a more devastating blow than Alexander-Arnold's departure, as there is no replacing the best centre-back of the Premier League era.
Stability will be in order, so a signing of quality with longevity in mind is required. May Dean Huijsen of Bournemouth be presented.
Rumoured to have a £50m price tag and be on the watchlist of a host of clubs across Europe, the young Spaniard has passed the test of being thrown into Premier League action this year, and much sooner than expected too.
Ideally, as Liverpool did not sign a replacement for Joel Matip last year, he would add to the options of Gomez and Quansah behind Van Dijk and Konate, though if that is not to be, then Huijsen can be trusted as a starter.
An alternate Liverpool dream 2025/26 defence, consisting of Jeremie Frimpong, Ibrahima Konate, Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez (Image: Liverpool ECHO)