No room for sentiment - Can Liverpool REALLY afford mammoth Van Dijk and Salah renewals?

The elephant in the room has finally been addressed. In a piece earlier this week, Chris Bascombe, writing for the Telegraph, revealed Liverpool are unlikely to make any exceptions for Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah with regards to their contract renewals. 

“Van Dijk and Salah can expect Fenway Sports Group’s policy to be consistent with regards to players in their 30s, which usually means short-term extensions with incentivised clauses rather than the previous record-breaking deals. 

“The indications are that all parties are biding their time, Salah and Van Dijk aware they remain fundamental to the club’s plans this season and there are more financial benefits from leaving on a Bosman. As things stand, the guard of honour granting farewells to Liverpool legends at the end of the final game of the upcoming season promises to be as long and emotional as last May’s.”

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How the returning Michael Edwards and new sporting director Richard Hughes handled the contract negotiations with their ageing stars would lay down a marker for this new era at Liverpool. 

During his first stint with the club, Edwards focused on smart business and that meant making some difficult decisions. He was part of the recruitment team that decided Gini Wijnaldum wasn’t going to get the renewal he wanted, despite the fact he was an influential player for the Reds during his final year with the club. 

Edwards didn’t want to offer Jordan Henderson a new deal when the skipper was publicly putting pressure on the club. It wasn’t until Jurgen Klopp intervened that the midfielder had his wish granted. 

No sentiment regarding renewals

He didn’t let sentiment cloud his decision-making. And it isn’t as though he was on the wrong side of history. Wijnaldum missed 10 matches for PSG with a knee problem, he then broke his tibia while on loan with Roma before another stint on the sidelines at the Stadio Olympico with a hamstring issue. The Dutchman is now turning out for Al-Ettifaq FC. He only left Liverpool three years ago. 

The amount of football he played for the Reds was always going to catch up to him. Injuries were inevitable. 

Football - FA Premier League - Manchester City FC v Liverpool FC MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Saturday, April 1, 2023: Liverpool s Mohamed Salah R celebrates with team-mate Virgil van Dijk after scoring the opening goal during the FA Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. MANCHESTER City of Manchester Stadium GREATER MANCHESTER ENGLAND PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK Copyright: xDavidxRawcliffex P2023-04-01-Man_City_Liverpool-27

Henderson’s final season at Anfield wasn’t easy viewing. And had Edwards gotten his way, that would’ve been when the captain’s contract ended. Liverpool were fortunate that Al-Ettifaq FC came calling. It meant they received a fee for the skipper and got his wages off of the books. 

But those last 12 months on Merseyside justified Edwards’ decision not to want to extend the contract of the then skipper, at least not on improved terms anyway. 

Liverpool predict Van Dijk and Salah downturn

And this now brings us nicely to Salah and Van Dijk. 

The duo are still performing to a high level. Salah finished as the club’s top scorer last term, and chipped in with the most assists, despite missing two months of action with his first real injury. Van Dijk looked back to his best too. 

With so much turnover and upheaval behind the scenes this summer, it must’ve been tempting to offer both players new, long-term deals. 

But these aren’t easy deals to make. Salah and Van Dijk know this is potentially their last real big contract, so they aren’t going to want to rush into signing one of the incentivised deals that the Reds offer to players in their 30s.

They’ll want to be compensated for their performances last season. Liverpool, on the other hand, are predicting a downturn at some point during this next contract and are wanting to pay them based on that. 

Can Liverpool afford these renewals?

There’s no right or wrong side here. The players are well within their rights to want good money. Likewise, the club don’t want to be paying £300,000-per-week to a player on the decline. That is how you end up in a financial mess. 

And while Van Dijk and Salah still look to be effective for the Reds. The amount of football they have played, combined with the intensity required in a Jurgen Klopp system, means that physically it is going to catch up to them soon. It has to. 

The optics of losing Van Dijk and Salah for free is horrendous but it is better than the alternative. Liverpool simply cannot make two players in their 30s the highest-paid players at the club, regardless of what they have done for the Reds. 

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