Ex-Liverpool chief reveals what’s really going on regarding contract talks with Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk as they rapidly approach final six months of their deals

A former Liverpool official has broken his silence on contract negotiations with star trio Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk.

All three players’ deals expire at the end of the season, and they will be able to begin discussions over potential moves to foreign clubs in January ahead of the end of the campaign.

There has been major doubt surrounding the futures of all three players, with the majority of fans perplexed over why their deals have been allowed to run down at the same time with no decisions made over their futures.

Between them, the trio have made 976 appearances for the Reds, with Salah joining in 2017, van Dijk in 2018 and Alexander-Arnold when he was just five years old.

But next season could look very different for the club, who are already in a period of transition following the departure of Jurgen Klopp as manager in the summer with Arne Slot taking the reins.

The Reds, are, however, thought to be in negotiations with all three parties, and former Liverpool CEO Peter Moore has revealed what he knows of the discussions.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (pictured), Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk will all see their deals expire in the summer

Peter Moore has insisted that Liverpool officials are working ‘feverishly’ over new deals

‘I am old enough to remember Kevin Keegan going to Hamburg, thinking the world was collapsing around us,’ he said, via Soccerex. ‘Who are we going to give the ball to? Then somebody said we have got this guy from Celtic: [Kenny] Dalglish.

‘I don’t know what’s going to happen. If it’s Trent, it’s Virgil, it’s Mo. It’s hard to imagine any of those leaving Liverpool. Ownership, I know is working feverishly to get deals done, whether it is all three, two of the three, one of the three or none of the three.

‘I don’t know, but you look at those players and what you do like is that they all seem very dedicated right now. There is no – particularly with those three – taking a game off for some reason.

‘Even in Trent’s case, they are the senior citizens. You think about what they offer, and come January, in particular in Trent’s case, we will see what happens. But I know ownership is talking with their respective agents – I’m sure feverishly.’

Moore, 69, became the CEO of Liverpool in 2017, working under current owners Fenway Sports Group.

He worked with all three players during his time at the club, overseeing the Champions League win in 2019 and Premier League win in 2020.

He was also named the Premier League CEO of the Year in 2019, and stepped down from his role at the end of the 2019-20 season.

Moore added of Liverpool’s current situation: ‘We are blessed as a football club to have that consistency. Look at Liverpool now as a football club – 17 games, 16 wins. Looking a little different to Jurgen’s style of football. A defence that is not giving up goals and an attack that is as fluid as it was in the [Sadio] Mane, [Roberto] Firmino, Salah era.’

The three players have made 976 appearances for the Reds between them but could leave

Arne Slot is overseeing a period of transition but could be without three of his key men from next season

It does however remain unclear if any of the three out-of-contract players will extend their stays, with Salah raising eyebrows earlier on this campaign when he said it was his final season with Liverpool.

There is still a possibility that all three players could agree new deals, but, if no agreements can be made, all three will become free agents.

Alexander-Arnold in particular has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, who had been reported to be interested in signing him in January, though that now seems unlikely to happen.

Still, reports of the Spanish champions’ interest in the 26-year-old will not go away, with some suggestions arising that they are expectant that he will join the club in the next year.