Liverpool have some big calls to make in these coming months as a number of their star players are out of contract next summer.
The issue Liverpool will find is that Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold could all sign pre-contract deals with foreign clubs in January.
The one player who is probably the biggest worry is their star right-back and whether he could be out of the door next summer.
Real Madrid are interested in Alexander-Arnold and you just wouldn’t blame the player if he wanted to join Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Once upon a time, Liverpool fans were gunning and praying for Jude Bellingham to join their club, but he signed for Spain’s biggest club instead.
Bellingham is good friends with Alexander-Anorld and you sense that he will be pushing for his England teammate to make that switch.
But Darren Bent feels there is another Liverpool player for the fans to worry about because he is also Madrid quality.
Van Dijk is the captain under Arne Slot, after he was handed the armband by Jurgen Klopp last summer when Jordan Henderson left.
But Bent was in no doubt that the ice-cool Dutchman is certainly good enough to move to the Champions League winners if he doesn’t sign a new deal at Anfield, as he told talkSPORT (09/09/24 at 5:10 pm).
Virgil van Dijk at Real Madrid
“Not necessarily (on the demise of van Dijk starting because of his age),” said Bent. “The classic example we have just seen depart is Thiago Silva. He’s 39 and look what he did in his last four years at Chelsea.
“I think Virgil could be exactly like that. At 39, to be playing in the Premier League for Thiago Silva, is incredible. Not only that, he won Chelsea’s Player of the Year – I don’t think they are now (defenders sliding all over the place). Virgil is exactly the same. He can read the game, as a centre half, he can go beyond 35 and 36. He still has his pace and still reads the game. He still wants to defend one-v-one and two-v-two.
On van Dijk leaving: “He is going straight to wherever he wants to go. That includes Real Madrid. Exactly (that tells you how important van Dijk is to Liverpool). You are talking about one of the best defenders. There is an argument he is the best defender in the Premier League and certainly one of the best in history.”
Liverpool’s summer transfer business
Whilst clubs like Chelsea spent for the whole Premier League again, it was another relaxed, measured and quiet window for those on Merseyside.
Federico Chiesa joined Liverpool from Juventus and he will be hoping to make his debut after the international break.
You wonder if the same approach is being taken with the contracts of their star players because the team has started like a house on fire.
Slot has three wins from three, with Alexander-Arnold, van Dijk and Salah all playing a key role, including during the win over Manchester United before the international break.
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