Should Liverpool keep their top players with expiring contracts

Liverpool fans thought replacing Jurgen Klopp as their manager would be the biggest problem their beloved club would face after last season.

The German is one of the loveliest characters in European football and left them unexpectedly as he still had a year left in his contract.

His departure caused serious headaches to most people who love the club as its decision-makers worked on finding a manager to replace the German.

Somehow, the most popular names, like Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim, did not get the job. The Reds opted for Arne Slot, who had done well at Feyenoord but was not as popular as their other targets.

Liverpool remains one of the biggest clubs in the world and they have some of the best talents in European football.

Slot was moving to the biggest club of his managerial career, and the Dutchman joined a well-equipped side.

His team only suffered a defeat after four games and won the other three matches, so this was a good start to his tenure as Liverpool manager.

However, a big problem is right there for him to solve as soon as possible, and he will need to make a big call sooner than he expected.

Liverpool did not make a signing in the last transfer window as we questioned if they needed to sign new players, considering the quality of the squad Slot met at Anfield.

While some of their players are new and have long contracts with the club, others have expiring deals, most are important stars.

Last summer, the Reds lost players like Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara, who left after their contracts expired.

More stars have entered the final season of their deals at Liverpool now and will be free at the end of next season. Should the Reds allow them to leave?

A new era has begun at Liverpool

With Slot at the helm from this season, Liverpool has entered a new era at the club, requiring some changes.

A new manager comes with his coaches and his style of play, but he also has a good idea of the type of players he wants.

This means many of the stars who had been key players at the club over the years under Jurgen Klopp may not be so crucial under Slot.

The Dutchman did not make a signing in the summer until a late move for Federico Chiesa, but he will have to decide on the key men at the club to keep selling Liverpool tickets.

The likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez now have to work even harder to remain in the plans of the new manager beyond this season.

Because he did not sign any new players this summer, Slot has relied on those he met, but the time is coming for him to make a decision on their long-term future.

How costly is it to lose key players

Some players are irreplaceable at clubs even if they do not feature in every game for their present teams, so we were worried about how Manchester City will cope after selling Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid.

The Citizens looked to be coping well with his departure, but that is not always the case for every club.

Liverpool is on the verge of losing Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander Arnold.

The trio has been with the club since at least 2018 and has won all the major trophies, so keeping them should be a priority.

However, Liverpool seems open to allowing them to leave as a free agent because these stars have yet to be offered new deals.

Losing out on signing Martin Zubimendi is not a bad idea if the Reds keep a core of their current players, but Salah is 32, and he is one of the club’s top earners.

Van Dijk is a late bloomer, and he is already 33, so the club will be careful before offering him a contract extension.

However, Trent Alexander Arnold is 25 and is being eyed by Real Madrid, who could approach him in January.

Liverpool has to keep Trent at the club, and the Englishman wants to stay, so fans would be worried about their lack of offers for him now.

However, if Slot wants to completely transform the club, he might choose to let these players go and focus on buying his own stars.

Is Liverpool ready for a revolution?

Liverpool is one of the world's biggest clubs, and they will have to work super hard now to maintain that status under Slot.

This is because clubs around the world are constantly evolving into better teams. So, is Liverpool ready to revolutionise its team?

Losing Alexander-Arnold, Salah, and Van Dijk is nothing short of pulling out the best players at Liverpool and replacing them with new stars.

These are the players who have brought the club back to life, and new players will need perhaps more than a season to reach their level.

Trent has been at the club through thick and thin, just like Salah and Van Dijk. Liverpool cannot lose them in one summer.

Slot risks being sacked if he starts his revolution by trying to replace these players at the end of this season.

While rebuilding the club is important, Liverpool does not have the time to begin a revolution now.

Their rivals are already ahead of them, with Arsenal and Manchester City constantly competing for the Premier League crown.

The likes of Brighton, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest have also started this season brightly and could overtake any of the traditional top clubs on the league table.

In 2023, Newcastle finished in the Champions League places ahead of Liverpool, and the Reds will want to avoid a repeat of that this term.

The likes of Fulham have also strengthened their team to give themselves a chance of qualifying for Europe, so now is not the time for Liverpool to take too much risk.

Who are the star names, and why should Liverpool keep each

Liverpool has some top names whose deals expire within the next one year; which player should they keep?

Mohamed Salah, 2025

Liverpool could have sold Salah for big money last summer when they had an offer worth $200m for the Egyptian.

They probably wish they had sold him now, but the Egyptian remains one of the most effective attackers in the league and should get a new deal.

Virgil van Dijk, 2025

Van Dijk also remains one of the best defenders in Europe and although he will be 34 next summer, he can still offer two more seasons to Liverpool at the highest level.

Trent Alexander Arnold, 2025

Liverpool should not debate the decision to keep Alexander Arnold because he is one of the best at what he does at Liverpool and simply has to stay.

The defender could transition to a midfielder at a later stage of his career, but he needs to sign a new five-year deal soon.

Conclusion

Liverpool cannot afford to lose these key players now because they will struggle to replace them, so the club must keep them for at least one more season.