Exclusive Q&A: David Lynch provides latest on Salah, transfers & more

Liverpool face a big few weeks once the international break is over as Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup fixtures all await in April.

The Reds still have every chance of winning an unprecedented quadruple, with the League Cup already in the bag, and so a historic few weeks could await in the near future of the club.

Ahead of it, we caught up with Liverpool reporter David Lynch to assess whether he thought the Reds could achieve all four major trophies available, as well as several other pressing topics around the club.

We get his thoughts on potential comings and goings in the summer transfer window, including Divock Origi, Takumi Minamino, Raphinha and Fabio Carvalho, as well as the chances of there being a trophy parade held by the Reds if just the Carabao Cup is what is won for this season's efforts.

Read on for his answers below...

Can Liverpool do the quadruple?

It's something that's never been achieved before but I feel that, with the concentration of talent at the elite clubs and the 'lesser' teams' waning enthusiasm for the cup competitions, it's becoming more and more likely every year. That said, we're still talking about going from no chance to a very small chance that it's possible to pull off a clean sweep.

It's not enough to say that Liverpool are capable of winning all four trophies in terms of their quality - they definitely are - but they'll also need some serious good fortune if they are to win the remaining three trophies. For example, if they catch Manchester City (who are on track for a Manchester United-equalling treble themselves) on one of their very good days at Wembley or get a bad run of injuries then it could be all over pretty quickly.

So, yes, I think they could do it, but I still see it as pretty unlikely, which I reckon is the sensible position!

Do you think Divock Origi will definitely leave the club this summer?

I would expect Divock to depart this summer, yes. It's my understanding that an appearance-based clause that would automatically add a year to his contract is unlikely to be triggered and so he should be a free agent at the end of this season.

I think Liverpool's demands in terms of asking price have been the main obstacle to Origi moving on in recent years but, with the prospect of a free transfer now arising, interest really seems to be picking up. As such, this summer should mark the end of one of the strangest yet most memorable Liverpool careers in history. He'll be missed.

Do you think this summer could spell the end for Takumi Minamino's Liverpool career?

To be honest, I was slightly surprised that Takumi Minamino chose to stay in January given the signing of Luis Diaz had effectively relegated him to Jurgen Klopp's seventh-choice forward but it was nice to see him be part of the League Cup final celebrations having played such a big role in that run. That said, I don't think his chances of more football are likely to improve in the months ahead and so it would surely be sensible for him to seek a move in the summer.

It's not always easy to predict whether the interest will be there but you'd hope he would appeal to clubs in England or Germany for a fee that would give Liverpool a modest profit on the £7.25m they paid RB Salzburg. He'll just be keen to add a few more winner's medals between now and then.

Could we see Caoimhin Kelleher attract interest this summer?

Kelleher is certain to attract interest thanks to his performances this season. It's a bit of a conundrum for Liverpool really because they have now found a reliable, quality back-up who perfectly fits the demands of the role, but he will surely want to move on at some point to further his own career.

You wonder whether the League Cup victory may have slightly sated the Irishman's appetite for more minutes and that it might be helpful in keeping him around for one more season. I think that's the best Liverpool can hope for, though, given the likely interest from elsewhere.

Can you see Neco Williams making his Fulham switch permanent?

Absolutely. Neco has been a revelation since making the switch to Fulham and, if they secure promotion to the Premier League as expected, it'd be a surprise if they decided against a move.

Liverpool were willing to strike a deal last summer for around £10m and the player himself was keen on going in order to get more minutes. On the basis of his performances for Fulham so far, I doubt that asking price will have shifted much at all and could see an agreement being struck at around that this summer.

What does the future hold for Joe Gomez?

Joe Gomez's lack of football this season isn't a reflection on his quality. As Jurgen Klopp put it, he has simply been unfortunate that his slightly slower return to full speed following injury has coincided with Joel Matip enjoying a perhaps unexpected run of fitness and Ibrahima Konate hitting the ground running.

But that doesn't mean things are going to get any better for him next season at Liverpool and so, if he truly harbours World Cup hopes, I expect Gomez to push for a move this summer.

It would be sad to lose such a huge talent who was a key part of that Premier League win at the age of just 23, but Klopp isn't the type to stand in a player's way if they are unhappy. And, while he has remained utterly professional throughout what has been a difficult campaign, there's no way Gomez can be happy with his playing time. I expect major interest across the Premier League once the season ends.

Are Liverpool starting to draw up plans for the summer, should we expect a big 2022?

Liverpool are constantly assessing options in the transfer market and, while drawing up concrete plans is often impossible, they'll know exactly where they need to strengthen. I'm not sure it's necessarily going to be a 'big' summer just because you could probably add in midfield (the key need, for me) and break even given the amount of fringe players who are going to be on the lookout for moves.

However, they'll do whatever they deem necessary and then be ready to pounce on any opportunities that are considered unmissable, as was the case with the Luis Diaz move in January.

What's the latest on Mo Salah's contract?

Unfortunately, there's nothing more to report on this as things stand. There's a clear disagreement between Salah's camp and Liverpool over the financial element of the deal and, while that can very quickly be resolved, nothing is happening currently.

To be honest, I'd expect both parties to take a step away from negotiations until the summer now given that such a crucial part of the season is approaching and everyone could do without the distraction. I also think it's worth noting that, while there is a disagreement, Salah has made it known that he would like to stay at Liverpool, which for me is his best chance of adding major honours in the years to come.

I will say this about the negotiations, though: it is extremely rare for a player to move into the final year of their contract and then ultimately end up signing a new one. If it doesn't get done this summer, I'm not sure it will.

What's the latest on Sadio Mane's contract?

Again, this is one I don't expect any progress on until the summer given it is ultimately tied to what happens with Salah. One source recently told me that, at best, only two of the out-of-contract front three (Salah, Mane, Firmino) are likely to end up staying.

In that context, it's easy to see why there'd be a delay on sorting Mane's situation while Salah - who they'd obviously most like to keep - remains in negotiations over a new deal.

What's the latest on Raphinha links?

I know Raphinha is a player Liverpool have looked at in the past but, as with everything, any potential move feels massively tied up in the Salah contract situation. Given the Egyptian's tendency to play almost every single game, I doubt the club will be in for a left-footed, right-sided winger this summer should he decide to pen a new deal.

What's the latest on Karim Adeyemi links?

He's definitely a player who fits profile and Liverpool's strong ties with Red Bull would make any potential deal more straightforward. Again, though, I would argue that the Reds' recruitment staff themselves wouldn't be able to tell you yet what their business in forward positions is going to look like just yet.

It's frustrating, but so much of this transfer window is contingent on where the new contracts go and how urgent the need to futureproof the frontline becomes as a result.

Have LFC reached an agreement for Fabio Carvalho?

Liverpool already reached an agreement to sign Carvalho in January, they just weren't able to finalise things due to time restrictions. Both clubs were happy, however, to shake hands on the same agreed figure and simply push back to the summer in order to avoid going through a tribunal. With personal terms unlikely to be an issue (let's be honest, those tend to get agreed in advance anyway) I expect Carvalho to become a Liverpool player at the end of this season.

Are Liverpool likely to do a trophy parade even if they just end up with the Carabao Cup this season?

I wouldn't expect them to, no. Too much time will have passed between the League Cup final and the end of the season and it probably isn't considered high-value enough to merit a parade. If Jurgen Klopp and his team pick up either the Premier League or Champions League between now and May, however, I can guarantee there will be a parade through the streets of Liverpool.

Given the fans missed out on those title celebrations in 2020, it would be fantastic if they were able to make up for lost time this year.

You can follow David on Twitter here.