One of the biggest reasons Liverpool now find themselves under pressure heading into another huge summer is the state of the club’s contract planning.
Honestly, it’s been atrocious.
The idea of players like Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson potentially leaving for free should never have been allowed to happen.
These are elite players who have been central to Liverpool’s success for years.
Even if the club eventually decided to move on from them, proper planning would have either secured extensions earlier or ensured Liverpool received major transfer fees while their value was still high.
Instead, the club are now in danger of watching world-class players walk away for nothing.
Then there’s Ibrahima Konaté.
Talks over his contract still appear unresolved, and there is now genuine concern he could become the next major problem if no agreement is reached soon.
That situation should worry Liverpool supporters massively because replacing a defender of his level would cost huge money in today’s market.
What makes it even more alarming is the number of other important players entering the final year of their contracts this summer.
Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo, Kostas Tsimikas and Joe Gomez could all soon be approaching uncertain futures at the same time.
That is not healthy squad management.
Liverpool used to be praised for planning ahead.
Under previous regimes, contract situations were normally handled long before they became dangerous.
Now it feels like the club are constantly reacting late instead of staying ahead of problems.
And financially, it’s becoming a disaster too.
Liverpool are effectively turning valuable assets into players who can either leave cheaply or for nothing at all.
As fans say in America, the club are selling for pennies on the dollar.
That’s why this summer feels so important.
It’s no longer just about signing players.
Liverpool need to fix the structure and planning behind the scenes as well — because right now too many major situations are drifting at the same time.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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