Liverpool have found themselves in a position where three of their best players could leave the club on free transfers.
Club captain Virgil van Dijk, top scorer Mohamed Salah and local boy Trent Alexander-Arnold have all entered the final months of their contracts at Anfield.
That is not a good look at all for Liverpool. They have been trying to extend all three players’ deals, but they haven’t found an agreement with any of them yet.
Alexander-Arnold is said to have agreed to join Real Madrid already, which is a huge blow – not just because he is a phenomenal player but because Liverpool will earn nothing even though he’s worth millions.
The same could happen with Van Dijk and Salah in the very near future if their contracts are not resolved by the decision-makers at the club.
Gary Neville on how much Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold are worth today
If Liverpool had tied down Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold to long-term contracts, they would’ve been in an incredible position now.
The Reds would’ve had the opportunity to sell each one of them for massive amounts of money if they wanted them out.
But, for reasons only known to FSG, they have allowed the three superstars to run down their deals, and that could cost them big-time.
Gary Neville has claimed that Arne Slot could have a huge problem on his hands next season, as Liverpool will not get any money if the trio leaves.
The Manchester United legend, who owns Salford City and is aware how the transfer market works, thinks he knows how much Liverpool would’ve made by selling Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold if they were on long-term deals.
Neville said on the Stick to Football podcast: “At the end of the season, it will leave Liverpool with a huge hole if those three players leave the club on a free. Because they won’t have the money they would get from them to replace them.
“I reckon there’s probably, minimum, you could actually say there’s a quarter of a billion pounds (£250 million) worth of talent in those three. You’re talking about one of the best strikers in Europe, the best centre-half in Europe and probably one of the best full-backs in Europe.
“Even for Liverpool, as good as they have been with recruitment, that is a quarter of a billion pounds of hole with those three players. Obviously, they have been good in recruitment; they can replace them, but that is a hell of a thing for Arne Slot to have to deal with.”
There is one positive if Liverpool lose Van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold
Neville is right, it would be a huge blow if Liverpool were to lose Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold for no money this summer.
Replacing all three of them with world-class players will cost an absolute fortune, which is not ideal at all.
However, the one positive for Liverpool is that their wage bill will come down considerably if the three players walk away.
Salah currently pockets £350,000-a-week, while Van Dijk earns £220,000-a-week. Alexander-Arnold, on the other hand, is on a £180,000-a-week deal.
That’s £750,000 a week – or £39 million a year – off the wage bill if they all leave. That will help Liverpool financially if they try to sign some big replacements this summer.
