- Three of Liverpool’s best players will be out of contract at the end of the season
- Three experts gave their two cents on which superstar the Reds should keep
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Jamie Carragher, Jamie Redknapp and Les Ferdinand have all weighed in on Liverpool’s contract conundrum, with three star players seeing their contracts expire in the near future.
Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold will be out of contract next summer.
All three have been coy about their future at Anfield, with none of them publicly pledging their long-term loyalty to Arne Slot’s Merseyside project.
When presented with the ultimatum of choosing one of the three players to stay at Liverpool, Carragher singled out Van Dijk.
“I’d probably say Van Dijk, but I’m pretty sure Van Dijk and Salah will stay,” the Liverpool legend said.
“The only concern is Trent because of the situation he’s in, but I’m sure the other two will sign.”
Trent-Alexander Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have expired contracts
Alexander-Arnold has been linked with a move to some European giants, including Real Madrid.
Jamie Carragher has singled out Van Dijk as the only player Liverpool should strive to keep.
Since signing his first professional contract at his boyhood club in October 2015, Alexander-Arnold has signed three contract extensions: in 2016, 2019 and 2021.
He has recently been tipped for a blockbuster move to Real Madrid, with contract negotiations at Liverpool stalled of late.
When asked about his future at the club, the 26-year-old simply insisted that details regarding his contract situation would not be revealed publicly.
Additionally, Mail Sport previously reported that Liverpool had made initial contact with Salah over a new contract offer, but the Egyptian star is not believed to be close to agreeing a deal with the Reds to extend his time on Merseyside.
Earlier this month, Van Dijk was also offered a new contract, but there was reportedly no progress in negotiations with the 33-year-old.
Redknapp shared Carragher’s sentiments, arguing that the Dutchman is an irreplaceable giant in Liverpool’s defence.
“I would go with Virgilio. “Yes, because he is just imperious and still plays at such a high level that I wouldn’t want to lose any of them,” he said.
“I think Liverpool have always had the ability, even when I was there over the years, (to replace superstars).
Salah became Liverpool’s fourth top scorer on Sunday night, now with 229 goals.
Redknapp agreed with Carragher, arguing that Van Dijk is an irreplaceable talent for the Reds
‘Where Rush goes and then Fowler appears, and then Owen appears, and then Torres arrives, and Suárez arrives, and then Salah.
“They just seem to turn strikers into superstars. Then they will find someone. But I don’t know where in world football you can find someone to replace Virgil.
Ferdinand’s judgment made the decision unanimous, with the former Tottenham striker also highlighting the importance of the 2019 Ballon d’Or runner-up in Liverpool’s defence.
“The way (Van Dijk) runs Liverpool’s defense and the way he is so calm, he would be the one I would be desperate to keep,” he said.