‘Liverpool’s summer transfer budget slashed as two deals agreed’
Virgil van Dijk is set to fellow Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah in signing a new contract at the club after months of speculation.
Salah, 32, has already put pen to paper on a new two-year deal at Anfield after interest from the Saudi Pro League and beyond.
Meanwhile, Van Dijk – whose current deal is set to expire in June – is widely expected to extend his seven-year stay on Merseyside in the coming weeks.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, however, looks set to complete a free transfer move to La Liga giants Real Madrid when his deal ends at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – has insisted deals for Salah and Van Dijk will mean Liverpool operate with a reduced transfer budget this summer.
Liverpool contract renewals will make ‘big dent to wage structure’, says Wyness
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted Liverpool will have taken a transfer budget dent into account when negotiating with Salah and Van Dijk.
The Reds are set to lift the Premier League this term but lost in the League Cup final and were dumped out of the Champions League and FA Cup earlier this year.
| Appearances (Starts) | 44 (44) |
| Minutes Played | 3987 |
| Goals | 4 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Yellow Cards | 5 |
Wyness insisted Liverpool have made the right decision after extending Salah and Van Dijk’s deals.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Van Dijk and Salah, keeping both is good for stability at Liverpool.
“Having two senior heads in the dressing room as they start to change the squad and improve it will be important.
“It would’ve been so expensive and very hard to replace them.
“Liverpool will have had to settle for big fees and a bigger dent to the wage structure, and that will lessen the amount they have to spend on refreshing the squad going forward.
“They will have taken that into account in the data and research. I’ve got no doubt that they will have made that equation.
“But the experience and stability has a big value. It’s the right decision for Liverpool in two key areas of the side.”
Liverpool could accept Diaz offer
Meanwhile, Football Insider revealed on Monday (14 April) that Liverpool could consider a mega-money offer for winger Luis Diaz this summer as Saudi Pro League interest resurfaces.
Liverpool have held contract talks with Diaz in recent months, with his current Reds deal set to expire in June 2027 – but have not made progress.
It is believed they could accept a bid of £60million-plus in the off-season if Diaz is keen to make a move elsewhere.
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