Arne Slot and the Liverpool hierarchy will have breathed a huge sigh of relief when Mohamed Salah finally put pen to paper on his new contract.
That, at least, resolves one of the major transfer clouds that has hung over the club this season. For how successful this side has been under Slot, there has been a sense of short-termish about the group that he has inherited from Jurgen Klopp. Even a few weeks ago there may have been genuine concerns about whether Liverpool will be equipped to go for the title again next season.
The news on Salah – and the expected announcement of Virgil van Dijk’s deal – should alleviate those worries. Now, suddenly, most people will make Slot’s side favorites for the biggest prize in 2025/26.
Securing the captain’s contract is unquestionably now the priority for Liverpool, even if it increasingly feels like a box-ticking exercise. After that, it’s Trent Alexander-Arnold’s turn.
The euphoria surrounding this week’s news could make the reaction to his expected exit even more stark when it’s announced. But, like Van Dijk, Liverpool will wait for clarity on his future before making concrete plans in the transfer window.
Assuming Alexander-Arnold does leave, finding a new right-back will take precedence over the club’s other transfer aims. Not to say that it will be sorted first, but a departure at right-back would leave it as the one position where Slot doesn’t have two options available.
Then attention turns to where the next additions are required. That’s a decision that dominated the latest Liverpool.com podcast and no doubt will cause plenty of debates around Merseyside over the coming weeks. But Salah staying means scouring the market for a first-choice right winger is no longer required, nor should a starting center-back be needed.
(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Left-back has felt like the most problematic position this season given Andy Robertson’s sharp decline. Strengthening in that area feels like a must this summer, and the prospect of Kostas Tsimikas departing to be replaced by Milos Kerkez would immediately improve the quality and depth of Slot’s squad.
Two other positions must be addressed. Midfield has arguably been Liverpool’s strongest area of the pitch this season with the reliable Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szobiszlai forming an unmatchable partnership in the center. That has started to waver in recent weeks though, and it was noticeable how the team were dominated in midfield by Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United and Fulham in three of the last six games.
Slot identified a need for a holding midfielder last summer and, although Gravenberch has proved an admirable replacement this season, a more natural player for that role would provide Liverpool with an extra option next term, plus greater variety.
Finally, a new striker is essential. Neither Diogo Jota nor Darwin Nunez have fully impressed this season, and moving on the former and bringing in an upgrade would be ideal, particularly if Nunez could help fund a move for the likes of Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike or Benjamin Sesko.
A clinical striker would ease the pressure on Salah to provide the majority of goals and could bail Liverpool out on the rare occasions the Egyptian doesn’t have his scoring boots on. His contract confirmation may end one long-running saga. Soon, the focus will be on the next bout of speculation and who could join him at Liverpool this summer.
