Although Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk are set to signal two-year offers at Liverpool, their contract extensions may benefit the Reds for for much longer than simply the following couple of seasons.
Lastly.
After a yr of thoughts video games, media nudges and cryptic social posts, Salah and Van Dijk’s new contracts are getting ready to being formally confirmed.
The negotiations have been drawn out, fan debates tedious and we nonetheless don’t even know what color Trent Alexander-Arnold will put on subsequent season.
Nevertheless, what we do know is that Liverpool’s two most outstanding figures over the previous seven years can be reporting for responsibility in Kirkby come August, prepared for an additional intense marketing campaign.
The membership and gamers have reportedly settled on a contract size of two years for each Van Dijk and Salah, one thing that ought to profit Liverpool past their expiration in 2027.
Planning for the long run
Within the brief time period, the captain and Salah will stay key figures within the beginning XI. It does should be acknowledged, although, that they’re 33 years outdated and 32 years outdated respectively.
Whereas Van Dijk’s taking part in fashion and the Egyptian’s unimaginable health are each mitigations towards their age, time catches us all ultimately and will probably be attention-grabbing to see how the pair are faring in two years’ time.
Whereas the clock will in the end turn into inescapable for the senior duo, Liverpool have purchased time on the subject of planning for his or her successors.
It’s an unattainable job to interchange Salah on the precise, however an additional yr or two does give Liverpool scope to develop their fashion to accommodate their eventual departures.
Whereas Van Dijk and Salah are each anticipated to be simply as outstanding subsequent yr as this, they may start for use extra sparingly as their contracts run down once more.
Hopefully, Liverpool are proactive and use the time gained to signal gamers who can step into their footwear upon their eventual exits, at any time when which may be.
The Reds now have two summers to recruit in defence and assault which might permit the incomers time to mattress into the membership, relatively than anticipating them to hit the heights of their seniors from the very begin.
The job of getting into Salah and Van Dijk’s footwear isn’t a simple one, however Liverpool have now given themselves a head begin to find the very best options.
In addition they have a greater bargaining place, because the Reds would have confronted sky-high costs with opposition golf equipment realizing they wanted replacements shortly. That state of affairs might now be averted.
Liverpool imply enterprise
The extensions of the No. 4 and No. 11 additionally make the image clearer for these on the membership and the gamers contemplating a transfer to Merseyside.
Like final season, when Arne Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp, it was comprehensible that people wished to see how issues performed out earlier than placing pen to paper.
If Van Dijk and Salah have been to go away this summer time, together with Alexander-Arnold, the Reds would once more be in a state of uncertainty.
Nevertheless, their impending signatures will depart gamers who’ve contracts expiring subsequent season, like Ibrahima Konate, arguably extra more likely to prolong themselves.
The presence of Salah and Van Dijk must also assist in the switch market, as Liverpool’s targets turn into clearer and targets see that the Reds are right here to remain on the prime desk below Slot.
Management and the vice-captaincy
With the possible departure of Alexander-Arnold would come an area within the squad for a brand new vice-captain.
Although it appears Salah has been doing quite a lot of work as a frontrunner within the group anyway, Andy Robertson, Alisson and he are the apparent candidates to get the nod behind the skipper.
Whereas the winger’s function wouldn’t notably change inside the dressing room, it could give him elevated standing on paper.
Preserving him and Van Dijk would crucially additionally present continuity on and off the pitch.
With the potential for a number of incomings and outgoings this summer time, retaining the backbone that has been so profitable might be key within the early phases of subsequent season.
As Robertson and maybe even Alisson start to spend extra time on the bench additionally, will probably be helpful to have skilled winners on the pitch.
Above all, although, the standard of Salah and Van Dijk is most essential. The membership are canny and if there have been any signal of decline, Liverpool wouldn’t offer them such profitable offers.
Preserving the Reds’ two finest performers isn’t a foul approach to begin a summer time that might affect the group’s fortunes for a number of years to return, not simply 2025/26.
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