Liverpool face a race against time as three players could agree free transfers

Thiago Alcantara, Joel Matip and Adrian are no longer officially Liverpool players.

The Reds have already confirmed that the outfield pair will leave the club at the end of their contracts this summer. And while the stopper has been offered an extension, it looks like he will opt to return to Real Betis on a free transfer.

All of the trio’s existing deals ran through June 30, so July 1 marked their first official day as free agents. But it is not the only reference date when it comes to player contracts.

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Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah have now all entered the final year of their current Liverpool contracts. Consequently, as things stand, they will all leave the Reds when their current terms expire in 12 months’ time.

Naturally, the Reds want to avoid such a scenario. Having now named Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp’s successor and completing a number of key changes behind the scenes, club chiefs are keen to speed up talks with the trio over an extension to their Anfield stay.

But it is now or never when it comes to the future of Liverpool’s captain, vice-captain and talismanic striker, all three of whom continue to be credited with attracting interest from elsewhere.

Real Madrid are reportedly monitoring Alexander-Arnold’s situation, while Salah and Van Dijk are said to be of interest to Saudi Pro League clubs. If club bosses don’t quickly agree new deals with the trio, they risk backing themselves into a corner.

This summer would mark the last opportunity Liverpool will have to sell any of the three for market value given their expiring contract status. In six months’ time, on January 1, 2025, if their futures remain unresolved, all three would be free to sign pre-contract agreements with overseas sides.

As a result, Real Madrid outfits, the Saudi Pro League or any other interested parties are six months away from being able to get the trio’s signatures on a Bosman move next summer.

As a result, club bosses have six months left to negotiate extensions with the trio or risk losing them for nothing. While January would act as a final opportunity to cash in on the soon-to-be-out-of-contract stars, Liverpool would be stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Is it better to lose three of your star players mid-season for a cancellation fee or at the end of the campaign for nothing? Of course, the existing state of expiration also ensures increased speculation and continued uncertainty.

In a dream world, all three sign new contracts before the start of the current campaign. But with Van Dijk approaching his 33rd birthday and Salah having just turned 32, it’s not as simple as doing all you can to keep the aging pair, regardless of cost. While this may not be the time for tough and ruthless decisions regarding two club legends, bosses still need to weigh up what is the best outcome for the club’s short, medium and long-term future.

Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold’s future is more pressing in contrast. While Van Dijk and Salah’s own market values ​​will continue to decline as a result of their age, the England international is still only 25 with his prime years ahead of him. He should arguably be the club’s most expensive asset, rather than one they currently risk losing for nothing.

The clock is ticking as all three stars continue to get closer and closer to the exit door. If their status remains unchanged from January 1, exits will look increasingly likely.

And while Liverpool could still link the trio after such a meeting, as they have done with James Milner and Adrian in recent years, it would be in their best interests to have the futures of Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold and Salah sorted out. one way or another, sooner rather than later.

The longer such uncertainty lasts, the more dangerous the game. And with the Reds’ hand currently at its weakest, they are running out of time to agree new terms while still in control of the trio’s situations.

Having already held initial talks with Van Dijk at least, Slot is likely to speak further with his captain, along with Alexander-Arnold and Salah, in the coming weeks to get an idea of ​​their future intentions. Consequently, having waited over a year for Liverpool to open negotiations, the trio’s futures are likely to be resolved one way or another, at least privately, in the coming weeks as the Reds look to remove any uncertainty over their respective situations.