Arne Slot has led Liverpool to the summit of the Premier League at Christmas but the Reds manager continues to face questions over the future of three key players
Liverpool sit top of the Premier League at Christmas but they won’t be resting on their laurels.
Arne Slot’s side have survived some injury blows so far this season, but there’s no guarantee that will continue in the back half of the season. The stronger the Reds’ squad, the better their chances of holding off the chasing pack between now and May.
There’s also the not-insignificant matter of a trio of expiring contracts. It may well be the case that in the coming weeks we get a better idea of which out of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold will still be on Liverpool’s books next season.
We’ve got a little update on that front in today’s transfer round-up. Here’s the latest from Mirror Football at a busy time around Anfield.
Pulisic deal off the table
AC Milan will hand Christian Pulisic a new contract to fend off reported interest from Liverpool, according to reports in Italy. Pulisic, who joined Milan from Chelsea in 2023, is the only opposition player to score against Arne Slot’s team across six Champions League matches.
Calciomercato reports that Pulisic’s new deal at the San Siro will net him an extra £1million per year. The American scored 15 goals in his first season with the Rossoneri, and already has eight in just 20 outings this term.
If Pulisic does indeed stay put, it will be just the latest in a run of Liverpool targets opting against a move to Anfield. Arne Slot has welcomed just one new face into his squad, with Federico Chiesa joining from Juventus, though Giorgi Mamardashvili will follow next summer after agreeing a move from Valencia.
Alexander-Arnold exit expected
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy doesn’t expect Trent Alexander-Arnold to stay at Anfield beyond this season. The right-back has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, and Murphy worries the Reds have missed their window to keep Alexander-Arnold on board.
Do you expect Trent Alexander-Arnold to leave Liverpool in 2025? Let us know in the comments section
“My gut feeling is that he’s going to go,” Murphy told MyBettingSites.co.uk. “I think if he were to stay that would probably have been sorted by now. There does seem to be a little bit of contention around certain supporters who think he should stay and he owes the club but the reality is the club have let him get to this position.
“They should have tied him up a long time ago. It’s a difficult one and quite unusual for Liverpool to have let this one happen. They should learn from it and it shouldn’t happen again. I think that if he does go, the majority of Liverpool fans will wish him the best and thank him for an amazing time and what he’s given the club.”
Van Dijk issues trophy statement
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk refused to get ahead of himself when it comes to trophies this season. Liverpool sit top of the table in the Premier League and Champions League, and face Tottenham in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, but the Dutchman is keeping his feet on the floor.
“I’m not getting dragged into any conversation about potentially winning a trophy, or two, or three or four,” Van Dijk said after Sunday’s win at Tottenham “I think I’ve given answers already, many times, that we don’t think what’s out there in May.
“We want to be out there in May, but we’ve seen how difficult it is. Other teams can do it apart from obviously City. But we focus on what’s next ahead of us. That’s the only thing.”
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