Liverpool are heading into another pivotal summer, with several key players having recently secured their futures, including Mohamed Salah, who has just signed a new deal.
We spoke to Will Rooney of LiverpoolWorld to get his insights on the club’s contract negotiations and the impact it could have on Liverpool’s long-term ambitions.
We spoke to Will Rooney of LiverpoolWorld to get his insights on the club’s contract negotiations and the impact it could have on Liverpool’s long-term ambitions.
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00:00Now Liverpool are heading into another pivotal summer window with several key players having already secured their futures including Mohamed Salah who has just signed a new deal.
00:15While this move has provided some much needed stability, the club's recent tendency to leave contract negotiations until the final stages has raised concerns for the future.
00:26Under manager Arnie Schlott, Liverpool have shown significant progress but the club's approach to player contracts has often been reactive rather than proactive with several high-profile players having their contracts up for renewal in the coming seasons.
00:42Liverpool may need to address this sooner rather than later.
00:45Delaying these decisions could risk uncertainty and distract from their pursuit of trophies both domestically and in Europe.
00:53I spoke to Will Rooney of Liverpool World to get his insights on the club's contract negotiations and the impact it could have on Liverpool's long-term ambitions.
01:02So Will, looking at Liverpool and Virgil van Dijk now, obviously just generically in terms of Liverpool's contract situation, we've mentioned the big three throughout the season.
01:15Obviously it's looking likely that Trent is going to be linked and possibly going to Real Madrid as we mentioned.
01:21Obviously not fully on the dotted line yet but that's the sort of heavy speculation surrounding Trent.
01:26That leaves Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk now starting with van Dijk, we've mentioned Salah a fair few times due to his incredible individual season.
01:36Van Dijk, obviously an ageing player in the side but so much experience, so much quality at the highest level.
01:44How much of an importance is he to Liverpool's title charge this year and their future plans as well?
01:49Where does he sit in terms of their priorities with keeping him in the side, keeping him around this group and being available for Arne Schlott to take him into the second season under his management?
02:04He's been the bedrock to be honest with you as this title charge.
02:07He's been as good as I've ever seen him to be quite frank.
02:11I mean, he's been absolutely immense.
02:14Some of the performances he's delivered have been right up there.
02:19You know, you'd think he was still very much in his prime and I guess he still is in his prime.
02:23And I suppose that's why contract talks have probably been protracted because, as you said, he is ageing.
02:32I think he turned him to 34 in July.
02:35Liverpool don't often, in the past, they haven't given contracts out, long-term contracts out to players over that.
02:40The last one was maybe Jordan Henderson and that ended up coming to a head, an early conclusion.
02:46And James Millen was one who stays on, but that was years, you know, a year long for the last few years.
02:53And I think Liverpool have been looking at it and thinking, probably, they've been trying to get it on their best terms, of course.
03:01They have, and Van Dijk has wanted the best terms for him.
03:04Maybe it's been about the length of contract.
03:06Maybe Liverpool have been reluctant to give him what he wants, etc.
03:09But, as you say, he said after the form game that there has been progress.
03:14A lot of people would expect that Virgil van Dijk to stay as the captain.
03:17And where do you sort of look in terms of Liverpool's business, in terms of Liverpool leaving these contracts to almost expire and then going in with deals?
03:27Do you feel it's maybe just a case of the modern game, how tough it is to keep giving these contracts?
03:34You know, we've seen with Chelsea giving, you know, eight, nine, ten-year deals to some of these players.
03:39Liverpool haven't gone that way, but they have sort of waited a long time.
03:42It's got the fans questioning, it's got, obviously, media outlets questioning, you know, futures of certain players, you know, key players as well.
03:49So, do you feel it's something Liverpool need to work on and change in the future in terms of leaving these contracts to almost expire and then, you know, leaving the contract talks late?
03:59Well, it's been hard with Liverpool because, obviously, they had that overturn with Jürgen Klopp and that was the priority last summer.
04:08It's different with van Dijk and Salah because they are older and maybe the model that Liverpool have, maybe they need to tweak it a little bit if players are going to start playing on longer.
04:19Yeah, Dr Trent Alexander-Arnold's one has been a talking point for months now.
04:27It's disappointing because he's not staying, he might be staying, it looks like he's not going to be staying.
04:32It's disappointing that Liverpool won't get a fee for him, but it's an interesting way of them going about it.
04:37They look like they've got a plan.
04:39Somebody must have some sort of plan, but I don't think it's Liverpool's way.
04:43They look like they've got a plan.