With each milestone in Liverpool’s season seems to come a new headline about the nagging issue which has hovered over it.
After the Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain prompted a new round of contract questions, Virgil van Dijk’s response that he had “no idea” if he’d still be at the club next season was the latest answer that caught the eye.
The likelihood remains that he is, of course, but until any deal remains signed and sealed there is a sense of uncertainty about how the extremely likely champions will look next season. It really is an odd situation that continues to play out.
The smart money is still on Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah coming to an agreement and staying at Liverpool, with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future less certain as Real Madrid continue to hover.
But as the clock and those contracts tick down, the possibility that all three players depart has to be considered.
Perhaps they are simply asking for too much money, or too many years on their deal for Liverpool’s liking? Or maybe the Reds’ hierarchy just want a clean slate for Arne Slot to continue the fine work he’s done so far? It’s a fascinating situation, and one that will all unfold in the coming weeks.
But what would the post-Van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold world look like? And how could Slot line up his team with some clever new additions? We’ve taken a look at the possibilities.
GOALKEEPER AND DEFENCE
Should the trio depart then this is the area where there would be the biggest upheaval, and so that shouldn’t be added to by shipping out Alisson and immediately installing Giorgi Mamardashvili as the new No.1.
At right-back Conor Bradley can step forward and make starting spot his own, even if the Reds could do with signing some back-up for him, while Ibrahima Konate will have to take on the mantle of the senior centre-back in any absence of Van Dijk.
The rest of the defence could then be made up of some new additions, and specifically a double deal from sporting director Richard Hughes’ former club Bournemouth, with centre-back Dean Huijsen and left-back Milos Kerkez both on the Reds’ radar.
Jarell Quansah, Andy Robertson and potentially Joe Gomez, if he doesn’t want to leave, will all get their fair share of games too.
MIDFIELD
The 2023 summer transfer window has to go down as one of Liverpool’s best ever, with the complete midfield revamp they achieved now bearing fruit in terms of a likely Premier League title.
Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have all been vital to the Reds’ efforts this season, and all of them deserve to keep their starting spots in the team for the next campaign.
Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott will feature regularly too, and there’s probably room for one more attacking midfielder given that goals will be lost from elsewhere. Wataru Endo could also stay should he wish.
ATTACK
How do you replace Salah? Well in truth you can’t. Liverpool won’t be able to bring in a right-sided, left-footed attacker of the Egyptian’s quality who will hit the ground running, and so perhaps a compromise could be struck with a different approach.
Luis Diaz hasn’t often been seen on the right for Liverpool, simply because Salah is always there, but that could be an option for Slot as he looks to go in a different direction, with Ben Doak available in reserve after his fine loan at Middlesbrough. Federico Chiesa appears destined to depart.
Cody Gakpo looks at home on the left of the attack, and might thrive with more goalscoring responsibility placed upon him, and then comes the big move at centre-forward, where a mega-money deal for Alexander Isak could completely change Liverpool’s dimensions as the No.9 becomes the main goalscorer.
Time looks up for Darwin Nunez at Anfield, while Diogo Jota is still hampered with injuries, and so a big play in the market at No.9 seems necessary whatever happens with Salah, and right now there are few bigger moves than one for the Swede who could easily carry Salah’s goalscoring burden.
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