As Arne Slot’s strong start to his chapter on Merseyside continues, there a lot of positives to take from Liverpool’s current situation. However, despite there being a long stretch of the season ahead, many are already looking to how things could unfold once the campaign ends.
After a slow year for transfers, rumours are swirling around potential business in both January and the summer. While Liverpool have been targeting new options for midfield and across the backline, one of the main topics in the headlines at the moment is who is headed for the exit.
As things stand, three players in Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are now into the final months of their contracts. Unless new terms are agreed, clubs will soon be able to discuss pre-contract agreements, which could open the door for free transfers next year.
Reports have indicated progress on the contract front, as Liverpool are reportedly looking to enter conversations to keep the trio at Anfield. However, nothing concrete has come about yet and there is still a glaring chance that the Reds could lose one or more of their key players.
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Alexander-Arnold in particular has been attracting attention since the summer, having caught the eye of Real Madrid. A recent update from TEAMtalk reported that Los Blancos have been in ‘constant contact’ over a deal for the Liverpool vice-captain but luring him away from his boyhood club ‘won’t be easy’.
The Independent has since followed up with a report that Madrid are ‘planning their next European era’ and they have added more targets to their list alongside Alexander-Arnold. The report claims that the La Liga giants are also ‘aiming to sign’ Manchester City’s Rodri and either William Saliba of Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero.
City’s key man Rodri ‘has become a primary target’ and with him also being a central focus of the Spanish national team, who Madrid are ‘conscious of maintaining their links to’. There is the belief that he will eventually want to return to Spain while still in his prime.
Saliba has been identified as ‘the future’ of their defence but he will be a tough player to prise away from Arsenal. Romero has been made a ‘secondary option’ but the main focus still very much seems to be on Alexander-Arnold. His friendship with Jude Bellingham is also aiding the rumours and the right-back has been ‘constantly talking’ with his England international teammate ‘about Madrid’ and he is said to be ‘assessing how things proceed’ during the post-Jurgen Klopp era at the club.
