Salah (32), Van Dijk (33) and Alexander-Arnold (255) are all out of contract at the end of this season. Therefore, they will be able to negotiate with a non-English club from January 1, 2025, on a free transfer at the end of this season.
Each member of this trio has different values for Liverpool and is at different stages in his career. But now, because of Liverpool's way of doing things, their futures are closely linked. If one person's future is resolved first, it will have a direct impact on what happens to others.
Liverpool's owners fenway Sports Group (FSG) and football chief executive Michael Edwards know exactly what is at stake in the coming weeks. The silence from within the Liverpool boardroom on individual contract situations is not unusual. However, this has created instability and anxiety among fans. They are worried about the possibility of losing up to three star players but are also worried about the delay of the board.
Van Dijk was the first to make his situation public in August, saying there was "no change" to the extension. Salah, who scored in the 3-0 win over Manchester United in September, also revealed that Liverpool have yet to open negotiations over a new contract.
"Nobody at the club has spoken to me about a new contract. So I will only play this last season and then consider it at the end of the season. It's not up to me, but no one has spoken to me about the contract. Let's wait and see," said the Egyptian striker.
For Van Dijk and Salah, Liverpool's delay in negotiating new contracts is perhaps understandable. With both players in their 30s and among the club's highest earners, the Reds have to calculate their value in the coming years.
How long can Van Dijk and Salah play like world-class players? And can the club confidently offer a new contract, for two or even three years, without being stuck at the end of it? That is a dilemma facing the FSG.
In recent years, with stars like Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Jordan Henderson, FSG have made mistakes by being too cautious. The form of Mane, Firmino and Henderson since leaving Anfield proves that The Kop were right in every case when selling them.
However, Salah and Van Dijk are at another level, considering their status as club legends and still playing at the highest level. However, because the contracts of these players were extended until the end of the year, Liverpool lost control. And the only way to regain control now is to make new contracts, in terms of terms and finances, which the club would normally not want to give.
