Trent Alexander-Arnold will turn 26 on October 7 and is in the prime of his career. This means Liverpool will not be at risk when accepting a long-term contract for the English defender.
However, Liverpool are in a dilemma with Alexander-Arnold. If they extend the 25-year-old's contract, Van Dijk and Salah will of course expect a similar deal. Conversely, if Liverpool settle Alexander-Arnold's future late, the defender will have the right to demand higher terms.
The long-standing speculation about Real Madrid's interest in Alexander-Arnold has not gone away. In fact, the England international's reluctance to dismiss this rumor is a useful negotiation strategy. However, Liverpool fans will remember Steve Mc Manaman and Michael Owen - both of whom were willing to wait out their contracts to move to Real - as a valuable lesson.
Mc Manaman moved to the Bernabeu as a free agent in 1999. Five years later, Owen completed his £8 million move to Los Blancos when Liverpool had learned a lesson.
Coach Arne Slot commented that Alexander-Arnold is a "good defender" but needs to improve his concentration. This proves that the Reds can consider a future without the England defender. If that were the case, the Anfield team would earn a significant amount of money.
When asked about his future after the 3-0 win over Bournemouth, it seemed that Alexander-Arnold was left open to all options.
"I want to be a Liverpool player this season is what I will say. I have been at the club for 20 years now and signed four or five contract extensions. none of those contracts were made public, and this one is no different.
The most important thing is always the titles, if I'm honest. I want to win titles, win and become an excellent player. So that is probably the main factor when deciding my future in anything," said the 25-year-old.
A big problem for Liverpool over the futures of Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold is the time to be on their side. And they could actually see all three of them walk through the Anfield door as free agents next summer.
The longer it takes, the more tired everyone is, but the decision will belong to the players. They either receive new contracts, or they can also earn money when they become free agents next year.
In short, Liverpool's prospects in the next few months are unpredictable.
