Salah, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold ALL backed to quit as pundit names two factors that will force exits

Liverpool have been told two big reasons why Mo Salah will likely leave Anfield this summer, with a pundit also expressing his fears for both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, and with boss Arne Slot naming the player who has surprised him most since taking charge at Anfield.

The Reds will have a shot at beginning the Arne Slot era with the first silverware of the season when they face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final on March 16 after crushing Tottenham on Thursday to reach Wembley. That could be the first of four trophies Liverpool will hope to win this season, with the Reds also riding high at the top of the Premier League and also having aspirations at winning both the FA Cup and Champions League.

While their success on the field has brought joy to their millions of supporters around the world, the fact that all of Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold are now just months away from their contracts expiring has caused a lot of anxiety and stress. Indeed, all three players can walk away as free agents just 143 days from now.

Now pundit Paul Merson believes the fact that none of that trio have put pen to paper is telling and cites success in the Premier League, together with the extra money they will likely all be demanding, as likely factors in them leaving Liverpool at the season’s end.

“Call me a cynic, I don’t think any of them sign,” Merson told Sky Sports. “I think they wait and see, if they win the league, I don’t know where you go if you’re Liverpool.

“When Liverpool won the league in Covid it wasn’t the same. You watch them lift the trophy, the Kop wasn’t there, the fans. They hadn’t won it for a long time. If they go and win it this time in front of their fans…

“I just think Salah, Van Dijk, Trent, they’ve won the Champions League, they’ve won the Premier League in front of the fans – which will be a lot different believe me – then I don’t see them signing.

“Call me a cynic but we’re talking 18 months now, they get a pay rise when they sign, they don’t sign for the same. That might be 50 grand a week, 50 grand a week over 18 months is a lot of money. For me, I’m not sure they sign if they win the Premier League.”

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Interest in signing Salah – arguably in the form of his life at Liverpool this season – will not be in short supply.

Currently paid £350,000 a week – the most in the club’s history – it is thought he is seeking both a pay rise and a long-term deal to hang around. Given he will turn 33 this summer, it is easy to see FSG’s dilemma.

The chase to secure his signature is being led by clubs in Saudi Arabia and that speculation appeared to hit fever pitch earlier this week when one of the country’s most prominent figures confirmed his nation saw Salah as the “big prize” and having reaffirmed their efforts to sign him this summer.

Despite that, huge claims later in the week suggested both Salah and Van Dijk have already signed new deals at Anfield – but a delay on their announcements was being held by Alexander-Arnold’s hesitancy and with the club determined not to heap additional pressure on their vice-captain, who is being strongly chased by Real Madrid.

Slot has been persistently questioned about the trio and this week provided an update on their situations.

“We have some contractual situations that you don’t probably don’t know about,” Slot laughed. “But Trent, Mo and Virgil haven’t extended yet. So we are aware of the fact that we have to be sharp and ready for things that can happen.

“My life is mainly short term but we have so many quality people at this club that look at the longer term as well. You always have to be prepared for all the new things coming up.

The players that don’t play a big part at the moment; will they be able to do this another year? Will they fight for their place or will they [want to] go somewhere else? So we have to be prepared for the next window and what we can do.”

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Meanwhile, Gary Lineker claims Slot has been wowed by the form of Ryan Gravenberch this season, with the player named the unexpected surprise of his time at the helm so far.

“I think Gravenberch has been one of the surprises of the season,“ stated pundit Gary Lineker on The Rest Is Football podcast. “Even Arne Slot said how surprised how good he was when he came in when I spoke to him in an interview a week or so ago. Dangerous player. He’s been superb.”

Even the player has admitted his surprise at his form this season.

“Yeah,” Gravenberch told Liverpool’s club website when asked if he was taken aback by his significantly-improved defensive play. “Because, to be honest, as an eight, you are more attacking and not a lot of defending. But the defending part I do also really well, so I impress myself a little bit.

“Back in the days when I played with Ajax in the youth [team], I didn’t like to defend! I didn’t like that much. But now, when you take off the ball from another player, it’s like, ‘Yes, I have it!’ I want to take the next one and the next one again. I enjoy it.

“It came quite naturally. When I first spoke with the coach, he said to me, ‘I see you as a No. 8 like last season, but I want to try you as a No. 6 as well.’ So, I was like, ‘OK, yeah, we can do it!’ I said to him, ‘Of course, we can do it!’ And the rest is history.

“Obviously, I get the minutes now, and I just try to be consistent and show myself every game. I think it’s going really well. I really enjoy it. I’m feeling really good.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool are said to be pushing hard for the signing of Joshua Kimmich having made fresh contact over his signature. The 29-year-old becomes a free agent this summer and has been strongly linked with Liverpool – though there are also other clubs keen.

Elsewhere, the Reds are also reported to have given a summer swoop for Frenkie De Jong the green light amid claims he can leave Barcelona for a bargain fee this summer.

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