Richard Hughes has two more contract dilemmas with Liverpool that no one is talking about

On Friday, Liverpool fans got their first glimpse of the club’s new sporting director, Richard Hughes, who spoke confidently during a press conference alongside Arne Slot. It’s the first time someone in this role has taken on media duties in this way, but the former Bournemouth transfer boss has impressed.

While Slot has been the main attraction as the new head coach, he will work closely with Hughes and the pair already have a good working relationship. They are in daily contact about the big decisions ahead and there are certainly plenty of them this summer with major transfer and contract calls.

In 2025, as it stands, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all set to be out of contract. Liverpool clearly cannot afford to lose any of the trio for nothing — let alone all three. There is no reason to panic yet, but the critical moment is approaching and negotiations will have to take place.

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“I don’t think it would be fair to talk about it,” Hughes said during the press conference, smartly sidestepping a question about the three key players and their contract situations. “These are private matters between the club and the players. The only concern that me and Arne have is about the total commitment from the players and we are absolutely convinced that this is the case.”

As already expected, it was further confirmed that Liverpool will not lose either Salah, Van Dijk or Alexander-Arnold this summer, regardless of how contract negotiations go (assuming, as is certain, that they do ). But discussions will have to take place soon; usually when the last 12 months of deals arrive that’s not a good sign, although that just can’t be the case here.

Normally, with a few seasons left, plans for an extension take place. But due to more pressing contractual situations, Liverpool’s players whose contracts run until 2026 — two years away — have not yet been named. It won’t be long, though, before Hughes has to think about those, too.

According to Transfermarkt, they mainly include Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson. It is also Caoimhin Kelleher, Sepp van den Berg and Rhys Williams.

By the summer of 2026, Robertson will be 32 years old. A new deal is possible for the Scotland captain, of course, but Liverpool should think carefully about that given his age. There is already precedent for players to be moved at that point in their careers. Van den Berg and Williams will likely be out, and Kelleher may want to go elsewhere in search of more minutes.

Konate, however, might be more of an enigma. French outlet PSG Inside have linked Konate with a transfer move to the Ligue 1 giants, and the player himself admitted he still has links to Paris. While there is no suggestion he will leave Liverpool this summer, his injury record is a legitimate concern.

Unless a huge offer lands on the table for Konate, who arrived from RB Leipzig for a fee of around $46m (£36m/€42m) in 2021, his loss should not be considered. But it won’t be long before a contractual decision has to be made. Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold will take priority, but the decisions of the new deal certainly do not end there.