Mark Lawrenson Names One Major Contract Liverpool Should Prioritise Before the Season Ends

Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has shared his thoughts on which of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, and Virgil van Dijk should be prioritised for new contracts before the season concludes.

When asked which of the three key players the Reds should focus on, Lawrenson’s response was clear. “Virgil van Dijk,” he stated, emphasising that Liverpool cannot afford to let the Dutch defender’s contract situation linger past next summer.

Although star forward Mohamed Salah and homegrown talent Trent Alexander-Arnold also have contracts expiring in 2025, Lawrenson is convinced that securing the Liverpool captain’s future is the most urgent matter for the club.

“At least, including this season, three seasons — especially if he has quality around him,” Lawrenson tells Liverpool.com when asked how long Van Dijk can maintain his current level.

“He is the big one for me in terms of keeping them. They have to keep Van Dijk because you cannot get a replacement for him. I don’t know anybody who would be a replacement.

“Everything about him is very imposing. He is a good organizer and I’m told in the dressing room, he is very strong. He would be the really big one for me to keep — and he is captain. He likes that and he is an unbelievable top player.”

On the other hand, Lawrenson suggests that Alexander-Arnold, the youngest of the three who can begin pre-contract talks with foreign clubs from January 1, may be considering a move to Real Madrid to join his England teammate, Jude Bellingham.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Trent went,” he says. “I just have this feeling that his big mate is at Real Madrid. They are on big money anyway and it’s a fantastic life that they have. I’m just wondering if he wants to test himself.

“Salah is the other one and I’m not sure with him. If he wants to go and play in Saudi, he would be a king. That might interest him — but keep Virgil and you have a chance. If Trent goes, we’ve got Conor Bradley.”

Any club in the world would jump at the chance to sign Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer if the opportunity presented itself. However, Lawrenson thinks the decision comes down to either joining Los Blancos or signing a new contract at Anfield.

“I don’t see where else he is going to go,” the Liverpool legend says. “He’s an intelligent boy. He will be having his ear bent by his mate at Real Madrid and he might just think Spain for three years… Galactico… all those kind of things… playing in a top team… it would appeal to anybody.

“I don’t think they will be able to [convince him to stay]. How much more money does he need? Because he’s intelligent, he might think he can go to Real Madrid and play in a team that wins the Champions League every year. They don’t play quite as many games and you can live in Spain and enjoy your life.

“He’s entitled to do whatever he wants. He’s been absolutely fantastic for the club. You can see when Arne Slot brought him off in the first couple of games and he had the hump, which is what you want. He just wants to play.

“England messed him around in the Euros and that didn’t help, but do you know a better right-back? I don’t. He’s one of the best passers currently playing and I think he might find the attraction of playing for Real Madrid really strong. Who wouldn’t?”

Losing any of the players for no transfer fee at all would be a big loss for Liverpool — and would mean replacing them without having funds to reinvest in replacements. “If you can get all three, that would be amazing,” Lawrenson says. “Trying to replace all three, that would be totally impossible — and with the money we’re talking about, I’m not sure they necessarily could.

“Mo [Salah] has been quiet at the moment and he’s just waiting to hear where he can go. I’m not saying he’s going but he’s in that position in life now where his contract is up at the end of the season, he can sit down and let people ring his agent and see how they go. All three are in a fantastic position, they seriously are.

“You would hate to lose anyone. If you lose one, maybe you can cope with it, but if you lost two, that’s completely different. It would cost them fortunes to bring people in because you would have to pay transfer fees and wages.”

Although there are concerns regarding three important contracts at Liverpool, Lawrenson has been pleased with Slot’s performance thus far. The Reds have suffered just one defeat this season and have conceded only three goals across all competitions to date.

“He’s not really changed too much. Why should he? Don’t touch it unless it’s broken,” Lawrenson says. “He’s been good. Everyone goes on about the home defeat but Nottingham Forest were brilliant. They were excellent and that was just one of those things.

“The less fuss, the better. I think that will be his agenda: let’s keep going. He’s very fortunate in that the guy he took over from left them in a fantastic position. The only change is that Slot likes to keep the ball a little bit more, whereas Jurgen Klopp was very much in the other team’s faces and things like that.”

There is work for Liverpool to do on the contract front but there is still time — 96 days and counting until January 1. And on the pitch, things are going well. “It’s seamless at the moment,” Lawrenson says. “Slot’s doing really well.”

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