Liverpool contract crisis explained with NIGHTMARE deadline just days away

Here's what you need to know about the situation around Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Liverpool are walking into a nightmare.

Liverpool had three major contracts to sort last summer. All three of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold were entering the final years of their contracts.

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None of them signed new deals.

That's a problem, given those three are arguably the most important players in the team. All three, though, can depart on a free transfer after this season if they wish.

But the 'deadline' is even sooner than that. It's just days away, in fact, with the trio able to talk to non-English clubs from January 1st - or 'Wednesday', if you'd prefer.

Scary that, isn't it? Liverpool could see the trio sign with new clubs this week, even if they couldn't join those clubs until July.

But that's the mad situation Liverpool find themselves in and they're running out of time to fix it.

The contract rules

Now, none of the three can just leave in January. They're all still contracted through the rest of the season and no matter what happens, Liverpool can keep them that long.

But non-English clubs can formally enter talks from the moment January 1st comes around. The players can all accept offers, too, but only in a 'pre-contract' sense.

That means they can sign a contract to kick in from July 1st. There wouldn't need to be a transfer fee, they'd simply leave for free.

It's typically beneficial for a player to do that, too. They can command much more money from the new club, given there's no transfer fee involved.

We should also mention that English clubs can enjoy the same privilege with Liverpool's players, but only from June 1st. It's highly, highly unlikely that it'll come to that - but then, we'd have said that about January 1st.

Mo Salah's contract situation

The truth, and it's a frustrating one, is that no one really knows what's going on with Mo Salah's contract. It's been the most secretive of the lot and it's not even particularly clear who wants to pick him up for free.

What does appear to be clear is that Salah wants to remain at Liverpool. He has publicly put pressure on the club to get a deal done but nothing appears sorted just yet.

The problem here is essentially just his age. Salah will be 33 at the start of any new deal and Liverpool are reluctant to give big wages and a long-term deal to someone who could soon enter a decline.

Something has to give.

Virgil van Dijk's contract situation

This one should be straightforward. Anfield Watch understands that Virgil van Dijk will be staying at Liverpool.

Now, that's not to say that anything has been signed but we believe his agent has told interested clubs to back off. The Times has also recently reported that Van Dijk's new contract is actually the priority for the club.

We do expect this one to be wrapped up quickly.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's contract situation

And now the most complicated of the lot. Trent Alexander-Arnold is the most valuable player of the three, given his age and homegrown status.

He's also the one most likely to leave.

The feeling is that Alexander-Arnold's head has been turned by Real Madrid. They're heavily invested in signing the defender and almost certainly have an offer lined up for January 1st.

Whether the Scouser actually signs it then or not is completely unknown. But the longer this one goes on, the less likely it appears that he'll re-sign with Liverpool.

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