Liverpool tipped to agree three pre-January deals – Keith Wyness
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has claimed news on out-of-contract Liverpool stars Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold will come before January.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – suggested the Reds have kept the trio in a bid to maximise their chances of going deep in major competitions this season, at the potential cost of selling them for big fees.
Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
New manager Arne Slot, who has his Liverpool side sitting top of the Premier League after six games, now faces losing all three star men at the end of his first season at Anfield.
Saudi Pro League sides have been widely linked with potential swoops for Salah, 32, and Van Dijk, 33, in recent windows.
Alexander-Arnold, 25, is a long-term target for Real Madrid, but Football Insider revealed last week (26 September) that the full-back’s first choice is to sign a new contract with Liverpool.
Liverpool have made calculated Van Dijk and Salah gamble, says Wyness
Wyness claimed it may have been “worth” allowing the trio to run down their contracts if the Reds can achieve success this season.
He told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “You’ve got to look at age and how these players develop.
“Liverpool are probably thinking about going far in the major competitions this season, and how that money could balance out against future transfer fees for these three players.
“The fees won’t be that big considering they are in the final year of their contract.
“Maybe it was worth hanging on to them.
“They’ll review it during the season and see if a deal can be done that makes sense for all parties.
“We know these three will be sought-after. They can go elsewhere, so Liverpool will have to make them decent offers.
“But Liverpool have prioritised keeping the squad together and letting them push on and bring in money through the competitions.
“There will be ongoing discussions and if anything is coming in terms of contracts, it’ll be done before January.”
In other news, Eberechi Eze gives Liverpool green light after release clause news.
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