Liverpool are unlikely to hand lengthy contracts to Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk when Michael Edwards returns to take charge of the club’s senior operations, sources have told Football Insider.
The Merseyside giants are closing in on reappointing the former Anfield sporting director in what would be a more senior role than his previous one.
Should an agreement be reached, as is now expected, that will have huge repercussions for the club’s summer business, including contract talks with senior stars.
Mohamed Salah, who turns 32 in June, and Virgil van Dijk, who is 33 the following month, are both out of contract in the summer of 2025 and expected to be offered new deals when the season ends.
Andrew Robertson, who turns 30 next March, is then out of contract in the summer of 2026.
Moreover, Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip, both 32, are out of contract at the end of the season, while longstanding back-up keeper Adrian, 37, is also coming to the end of his deal in the next months.
Sources have told Football Insider that one point of difference between Edwards, during his first spell at the club, and Jurgen Klopp was over the length of contracts handed to players aged around the 30 mark.
Klopp has always been famously loyal to his key players and in favour of long-term contracts even to those approaching the veteran stage, with Jordan Henderson surprisingly handed a four-year contract in 2021 at the age of 31.
Edwards is believed to have pushed for a shorter deal for Henderson, and that means that even star men like Salah, Van Dijk and Robertson are unlikely to be offered four-year contracts, or even maybe three-year deals on top money.
Under the new hierarchy in place, Edwards’ power base will be even stronger than during his first spell, and the manager’s say will be diluted.
Football Insider revealed on Friday morning that the Merseysiders are in advanced talks over a deal to hire Richard Hughes as their sporting director.
It then emerged on Friday night that Liverpool are closing in on a deal for Edwards after he rejected their initial approach.
