Danny Murphy Reveals Which Of Liverpool Trio Is Most Likely to Sign New Contract
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has shed light on the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, revealing who among the three players is most likely to extend their contract at Anfield in the coming weeks.
Salah, Van Dijk, and Alexander-Arnold are all are out of contract at the end of the current season and as it stands they will be free to sign pre-contract agreements with an overseas club in January. Alexander-Arnold is a target for Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with a move for Salah.
Liverpool are desperate to keep the trio who have been instrumental for Arne Slot's side this season. Speaking exclusively to LFC Transfer Room, courtesy of BetBrain, Murphy is hopeful Virgil van Dijk will pen a new deal while Salah's situation is 50-50. He believes that Alexander-Arnold will leave his boyhood club when his contract expires in June 2025.
The former Liverpool midfielder said: "Well, I think, comparing it to when I was there is different because there's a different that they run things differently now, and there's a different model. But I am surprised that they bloody get to this. Normally, it used to be if you were in the penultimate year of your contract, there would be a conversation because, obviously, if you get into the last year, then there's a problem in terms of, a decrease in assets.
"Also by giving players new contracts when they're doing well, you keep everybody happy. There's a harmony. That used to be the way. Now, obviously, when you get older, a lot of clubs have different philosophies on what they're gonna do with older players in terms not always about money, but sometimes about the longevity of the contract.
"So it seems to me that Liverpool have with the new manager coming in, they were happy to let it let them go to the last year, which as I said before, that alone surprises me with such two such wonderful players, you know, in terms of Van Dijk and Salah. And I think maybe there’s always gonna be some contention around the length of contract that those players feel they deserve compared to maybe what the club are prepared to give because of how much they're earning.
"They're both probably the two best-paid players. So nowadays, this is becoming more normal with older players. We've seen it before. And I think, for me, I hope, of course, they both get done. I think the obvious one that that I think the one that will get done for sure is Virgil.
"I think the club understand how important he is to everybody else and that defensive shape and that unit, and I think that will get done. The Salah one with all the constant interviews and the chat around his disillusion and not being offered a contract yet is starting to worry a few Liverpool fans, I think. But I still think that's a 50-50 because ultimately, it feels like he wants to stay.
"He looks like a player who loves what he's doing. He looks like a player who's happy. So I really hope they I think I believe they will get it done. I think it will. Even if they do end up having to give him an extra year more than maybe they wanted to. The obvious one where there's concern is Trent's at his age.
"Why have they let it get to this, or why has he let it get to that, whichever party's guilty, whether it's both or one? It feels like Trent's gonna leave. That's my gut feeling that he'll be going to Madrid and that his time's up, which is a shame because we know what a wonderful talent he is. But I do understand ambition. I do understand players wanted to, you know, have different experiences.
"I saw Steve McManaman when he was in his last season before he went to Real Madrid. And then, of course, when he went to Real Madrid, we know what he did there. So, yeah, it's a difficult one. I think most Liverpool fans, if you said to them now, two out of three are gonna stay, most would be more than happy with that."
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LFC Transfer Room Football Correspondent. Covered the fortunes of Liverpool for the past three years. Follow Joseph on X (formerly Twitter) @joseph_agbobli