BREAKING NEWS LIVE 》Liverpool timeline on Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold deals revealed amid star’s captaincy dream

The trio, who are all vital players for the Reds, will be eligible to open pre-contract talks with foreign clubs next month, ahead of a potential free transfer next summer.

No real progress on Van Dijk negotiations – yet

Van Dijk is also happy to stay at Liverpool, but there is still work to be done in negotiations. The biggest sticking point is that the Reds are likely to sign a new centre-back in 2025 and Van Dijk wants to know his role and ultimately minutes. The 33-year-old will have to think about whether he’s comfortable with that situation before making a decision.

Van Dijk is far more open to playing a somewhat reduced role, over time, than Salah, but first wants to understand which type of centre-back Liverpool may sign and how many minutes he’ll get moving forward. We understand that could add time to a deal being thrashed out. With thisin mind, it’s also anticipated that negotiations with the Dutch international will continue into the New Year.

Alexander-Arnold wants to be Liverpool captain

It’s no secret that Real Madrid are huge admirers of Alexander-Arnold and they have made him one of their biggest transfer targets for 2025, alongside Tottenham’s Pedro Porro and Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot.

The right-back is happy at Anfield but he wants to be Liverpool’s captain in the long-term, which could also have implications for Van Dijk, who currently wears the armband. If Liverpool were to offer the captaincy to Alexander-Arnold imminently, that could potentially change the centre-back’s view on staying.

If Liverpool do reach an agreement with Alexander-Arnold, it is expected to come before deals are done for Van Dijk and Salah, as the strong interest from Madrid makes the situation more pressing. Liverpool would prefer Alexander-Arnold’s future to be clear before the January window opens.

Salah is open to staying at Anfield and the talks are seen as positive at this stage, despite confirmed interest from the Saudi Pro League, and Al-Hilal in particular. The biggest point of discussion is over wages should a longer-term contract be agreed. The 32-year-old will still expect to be Liverpool’s best paid player and Liverpool will have to decide whether it’s a risk to offer lucrative terms over a long period of time given Salah’s game time could diminish.

Salah’s is understood to want a two-year extension which includes the option for another year, while Liverpool’s preference is to only offer a longer-term contract with a flexible wage that may reduce somewhat over time. A short-term contract would mitigate this risk.

Sources say it is unlikely that Salah pens a new deal before January, but his heart is still set on staying on Merseyside.